Inter-vehicle flight attribute communication for an unoccupied flying vehicle (ufv)

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein are example embodiments for inter-vehicle flight attribute communication for an unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV). For certain example embodiments, at least one machine may: (i) obtain at least one indication related to imparting at least one flight attribute corresponding to a UFV; or (ii) transmit to a remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight attribute corresponding to a UFV based at least partially on at least one indication related to imparting at least one flight attribute. However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particular described embodiments, implementations, examples, or so forth.

If an Application Data Sheet (ADS) has been filed on the filing date ofthis application, it is incorporated by reference herein. Anyapplications claimed on the ADS for priority under 35 U.S.C. §§119, 120,121, or 365(c), and any and all parent, grandparent, great-grandparent,etc. applications of such applications, are also incorporated byreference, including any priority claims made in those applications andany material incorporated by reference, to the extent such subjectmatter is not inconsistent herewith.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is related to and/or claims the benefit of theearliest available effective filing date(s) from the following listedapplication(s) (the “Priority Applications”), if any, listed below(e.g., claims earliest available priority dates for other thanprovisional patent applications or claims benefits under 35 USC §119(e)for provisional patent applications, for any and all parent,grandparent, great-grandparent, etc. applications of the PriorityApplication(s)). In addition, the present application is related to the“Related Applications,” if any, listed below.

PRIORITY APPLICATIONS

(1) For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the presentapplication constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/720,694, entitled “Inter-Vehicle Communicationfor Hazard Handling for an Unoccupied Flying Vehicle (UFV)”, namingRoyce A. Levien, Richard T. Lord, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, JohnD. Rinaldo, Jr., and Lowell L. Wood, Jr. as inventors, filed 19 Dec.2012 (with Atty. Docket No. SE1-0783-US), which is currently co-pendingor is an application of which a currently co-pending application isentitled to the benefit of the filing date.

(2) For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the presentapplication constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/722,874, entitled “Unoccupied Flying Vehicle(UFV) Inter-Vehicle Communication for Hazard Handling”, naming Royce A.Levien, Richard T. Lord, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, John D.Rinaldo, Jr., and Lowell L. Wood, Jr. as inventors, filed 20 Dec. 2012(with Atty. Docket No. SE1-0784-US), which is currently co-pending or isan application of which a currently co-pending application is entitledto the benefit of the filing date.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

None

The United States Patent Office (USPTO) has published a notice to theeffect that the USPTO's computer programs require that patent applicantsreference both a serial number and indicate whether an application is acontinuation, continuation-in-part, or divisional of a parentapplication. Stephen G. Kunin, Benefit of Prior-Filed Application, USPTOOfficial Gazette Mar. 18, 2003. The USPTO further has provided forms forthe Application Data Sheet which allow automatic loading ofbibliographic data but which require identification of each applicationas a continuation, continuation-in-part, or divisional of a parentapplication. The present Applicant Entity (hereinafter “Applicant”) hasprovided above a specific reference to the application(s) from whichpriority is being claimed as recited by statute. Applicant understandsthat the statute is unambiguous in its specific reference language anddoes not require either a serial number or any characterization, such as“continuation” or “continuation-in-part,” for claiming priority to U.S.patent applications. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Applicantunderstands that the USPTO's computer programs have certain data entryrequirements, and hence Applicant has provided designation(s) of arelationship between the present application and its parentapplication(s) as set forth above and in any ADS filed in thisapplication, but expressly points out that such designation(s) are notto be construed in any way as any type of commentary and/or admission asto whether or not the present application contains any new matter inaddition to the matter of its parent application(s).

If the listings of applications provided above are inconsistent with thelistings provided via an ADS, it is the intent of the Applicant to claimpriority to each application that appears in the Priority Applicationssection of the ADS and to each application that appears in the PriorityApplications section of this application.

All subject matter of the Priority Applications and the RelatedApplications and of any and all parent, grandparent, great-grandparent,etc. applications of the Priority Applications and the RelatedApplications, including any priority claims, is incorporated herein byreference to the extent such subject matter is not inconsistentherewith.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of at least one unoccupied flying vehicle(UFV) in accordance with certain example embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of example realizations for at least oneUFV in accordance with certain example embodiments.

FIGS. 3A-3C are schematic diagrams of example UFV hazard handlingscenarios or environments in accordance with certain exampleembodiments.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an example unoccupied flying vehicle(UFV) including one or more example components in accordance withcertain example embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an example base station, which may bein communication with at least one UFV, including one or more examplecomponents for a base station in accordance with certain exampleembodiments.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an example UFV that has one or morefunctional modules or one or more operational components in accordancewith certain example embodiments.

FIG. 7A is a schematic diagram that includes at least one examplemachine, such as an unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV), that is capable ofhandling scenarios for inter-vehicle flight attribute communication fora UFV in accordance with certain example embodiments.

FIGS. 7B-7E are schematic diagrams that include at least one examplemachine and that depict example scenarios for implementing inter-vehicleflight attribute communication for a UFV in accordance with certainexample embodiments.

FIG. 8A is a flow diagram illustrating an example method for at leastone machine with regard to inter-vehicle flight attribute communicationfor a UFV in accordance with certain example embodiments.

FIG. 8B depicts example additions or alternatives for a flow diagram ofFIG. 8A in accordance with certain example embodiments.

FIGS. 9A-9D depict example additions or alternatives for a flow diagramof FIG. 8A in accordance with certain example embodiments.

FIG. 10A depicts example additions or alternatives for a flow diagram ofFIG. 8A in accordance with certain example embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings,similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless contextdictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in thedetailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting.Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made,without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matterpresented here.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram 100 of at least one unoccupied flyingvehicle (UFV) in accordance with certain example embodiments. As shownin FIG. 1, by way of example but not limitation, schematic diagram 100may include at least one unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV) 102 or at leastone remote UFV 102R. For certain example implementations, any particularUFV: may be, comprise, or include a UFV 102, such as a local UFV, or maybe, comprise, or include a remote UFV 102R. A given UFV scenario may beconsidered, analyzed, operated, viewed, or a combination thereof, etc.from a perspective of at least one local UFV 102 with regard to one ormore remote UFVs 102R. Disclosure herein or in the accompany drawings,which form a part hereof, that is directed to a UFV 102 may additionallyor alternatively be applicable to a remote UFV 102R, unless contextdictates otherwise. However, claimed subject matter is not limited toany particular described embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, a UFV 102 may comprise or include avehicle that is not capable of being occupied by a human pilot (e.g.,due to size, shape, power, atmospheric pressure, or a combinationthereof, etc. constraints), a vehicle that is not designed to seat orotherwise safely support a person, a vehicle that is not controllable byan onboard human pilot, a vehicle that is being autonomously controlledat least partially by at least one onboard module, a vehicle that isbeing autonomously controlled at least partially by at least oneoff-board module, a combination thereof, or so forth. For certainexample embodiments, a UFV 102 may be at least comparable to or maycomprise or include at least a portion of any one or more of: anunmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a remotely piloted vehicle (RPV), anunmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV), an unmanned aircraft (UA), a drone,an optionally-piloted vehicle (OPV) that is not currently beingcontrolled by an on-board pilot, a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), aremotely operated aircraft (ROA), a radio-controlled aircraft (R/Caircraft), an unmanned-aircraft vehicle system (UAVS), an unmannedaircraft system (UAS), a small unmanned air system (sUAS), a combinationthereof, or so forth. For certain example embodiments, a UFV 102 may flythrough a fluid (e.g., the earth's atmosphere or the air), through atleast a partial vacuum (e.g., space or near-earth orbit), a combinationthereof, or so forth. However, claimed subject matter is not limited toany particular described embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram 200 of example realizations for at leastone UFV in accordance with certain example embodiments. As shown in FIG.2, by way of example but not limitation, schematic diagram 200 mayinclude at least one unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV) 102, at least onefixed wing UFV 102 a, at least one rotary wing UFV 102 b, at least oneornithopter UFV 102 c, at least one lighter-than-air (LTA) UFV 102 d, atleast one tilt-wing UFV 102 e, at least one hybrid UFV 102 f, or atleast one other type of UFV 102 g. However, claimed subject matter isnot limited to any particular described embodiments, implementations,examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, a UFV 102 may be realized as describedby any one or more of the examples in this paragraph. First, a UFV 102may be realized as a fixed wing UFV 102 a, such as a propeller-drivenbiplane or a jet plane. Second, a UFV 102 may be realized as a rotarywing UFV 102 b, such as a helicopter or a gyrodyne. Third, a UFV 102 maybe realized as an ornithopter UFV 102 c, such as small craft that hasflapping wings like an animal (e.g., like a dragonfly, bee, bird, orbat, etc.). Fourth, a UFV 102 may be realized as an LTA UFV 102 d, suchas a blimp, a balloon, or a dirigible. Fifth, a UFV 102 may be realizedas a tilt-wing UFV 102 e, such as a propeller-driven airplane with wingsthat rotate at least during vertical takeoff or landing. Sixth, a UFV102 may be realized as a hybrid UFV 102 f that combines one or morecapabilities or structural characteristics of at least one fixed wingUFV 102 a, at least one rotary wing UFV 102 b, at least one ornithopterUFV 102 c, at least one LTA UFV 102 d, at least one tilt-wing UFV 102 e,or at least one other UFV 102 g. Seventh, a UFV 102 may be realized asan other type of UFV 102 g, such as a tilt-rotor craft, a submarine, arocket, a spaceship, a satellite, a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL)craft, a combination thereof, or so forth. However, claimed subjectmatter is not limited to any particular described embodiments,implementations, examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, a UFV 102 may additionally oralternatively be realized so as to have one or more features,capabilities, structural characteristics, or a combination thereof, etc.as described by any one or more of the examples in this paragraph.First, a UFV 102 may include one rotor, two rotors (e.g., in a tandem,transverse, coaxial, or intermeshing, etc. configuration), three rotors,four rotors (e.g., a quadcopter, or a quadrotor, etc.), a combinationthereof, or so forth. Second, a UFV 102 may include a propeller engine,a jet engine, an electric engine, a rocket engine, a ramjet or scramjetengine, a combination thereof, or so forth. Third, a UFV 102 may have atleast one wing (e.g., a monoplane, a biplane, or a triplane, etc. in astacked or tandem wing configuration), which may include a straightwing, a swept wing, a delta wing, a variable sweep wing, a combinationthereof, or so forth. Fourth, a UFV 102 may be realized as having afuselage, as having a flying wing structure, as having a blended-wingbody, a combination thereof, or so forth. However, claimed subjectmatter is not limited to any particular described embodiments,implementations, examples, etc.

FIGS. 3A-3C are schematic diagrams 300A-300C, respectively, of exampleUFV hazard handling scenarios or environments in accordance with certainexample embodiments. As shown in FIGS. 3A-3C, by way of example but notlimitation, each of schematic diagrams 300A-300C may include at leastone unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV) 102, at least one remote UFV 102R,or ground 304. In each scenario or environment of schematic diagrams300A-300C, at least one UFV 102 may be flying above ground 304 andendeavoring to detect, sense, avoid, manage, mitigate, communicateabout, coordinate over, eliminate, predict, remove, account for, remedyaftermath caused by, cooperate to address, or a combination thereof,etc. at least one hazard. For certain example embodiments, hazards mayinclude, but are not limited to, other unoccupied flying vehicles,occupied flying vehicles, ground 304, buildings or other structures (notshown) on ground 304, moving objects, weather conditions, stationaryobjects, some combination thereof, or so forth. A UFV 102 may beattempting to accomplish a mission, an objective, a task, a combinationthereof, or so forth. In operation, a UFV may be in communication withat least one remote UFV, at least one pilot-occupied flying vehicle(POFV), at least one base station (not shown in FIG. 3A), at least oneother entity, a combination thereof, or so forth. Although scenarios orenvironments of schematic diagrams 300A-300C may be shown in thedrawings or described herein individually or separately, at leastportions or aspects of such scenarios or environments may be implementedor may otherwise occur at least partially jointly, simultaneously intime, overlapping in space, as part of a single or extended operationaltheater, a combination thereof, or so forth. However, claimed subjectmatter is not limited to any particular described embodiments,implementations, examples, etc.

FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram 300A of an example UFV hazard handlingscenario or environment in accordance with certain example embodiments.As shown in FIG. 3A, by way of example but not limitation, schematicdiagram 300A may include at least one UFV 102, at least one remote UFV102R, at least one pilot-occupied flying vehicle (POFV) 302, or ground304. More specifically, schematic diagram 300A may include a POFV 302, afirst POFV 302(1), or a second POFV 302(2). For certain exampleembodiments, a POFV 302 may comprise or include a vehicle that iscurrently being controlled by an onboard human pilot. For certainexample embodiments, ground 304 may include or comprise at least aportion of the earth, a landscape, a cityscape, a prairie, a hill, amountain, a combination thereof, or so forth. However, claimed subjectmatter is not limited to any particular described embodiments,implementations, examples, etc.

FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram 300B of another example UFV hazardhandling scenario or environment in accordance with certain exampleembodiments. As shown in FIG. 3B, by way of example but not limitation,schematic diagram 300B may include at least one UFV 102, at least oneremote UFV 102R, ground 304, or at least one base station 306. Morespecifically, schematic diagram 300B may include a remote UFV 102R, afirst remote UFV 102R(1), or a second remote UFV 102R(2). For certainexample embodiments, a base station 306 may comprise or include amachine that is adapted to at least partially control or is capable ofcontrolling a UFV 102 from a distance via at least one wirelesscommunication (not explicitly shown in FIG. 3B). For certain exampleimplementations, a base station 306 may be fixed within a building or ona mobile ground vehicle, may be capable of being hand-held, may beincorporated into or as part of another flying vehicle, a combinationthereof, or so forth. For certain example implementations, a basestation 306 may include or comprise a handheld controller (e.g., as maybe used with an R/C model plane) for actual or near line-of-sightcontrol, a workstation-sized or brief-case-sized controller that ismobile for operation out in the field (e.g., for police or corporatepurposes), a larger apparatus that is typically stationary or may behoused in a secret or private building miles from an operational theater(e.g., for military or governmental purposes), a server-sized ordistributed apparatus that provides control for a swarm of UFVs (e.g.,for careful monitoring of a construction, agricultural, or warehousesite), some combination thereof, or so forth. For certain exampleembodiments, a base station 306 may be controlling at least one UFV,such as first remote UFV 102R(1) or second remote UFV 102R(2), while notcontrolling at least one other UFV, such as UFV 102 or remote UFV 102R(although it may be monitoring a UFV without controlling it). However,claimed subject matter is not limited to any particular describedembodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

FIG. 3C is a schematic diagram 300C of another example UFV hazardhandling scenario or environment in accordance with certain exampleembodiments. As shown in FIG. 3C, by way of example but not limitation,schematic diagram 300C may include at least one UFV 102, at least oneremote UFV 102R, at least one POFV 302, ground 304, at least one basestation 306, at least one communication 308, or at least one flight path312. More specifically, UFV 102 may include at least one UFV hazardhandling module 310, or communication 308 may include at least onetransmission 308T or at least one reception 308R. For certain exampleembodiments, a UFV 102 may transmit at least one transmission 308T to orreceive at least one reception 308R from at least one of a remote UFV102R, a POFV 302, a base station 306, a combination thereof, or soforth. For certain example embodiments, a UFV hazard handling module 310may affect or at least partially control a flight path of a UFV 102 atleast partially based on at least one of a transmission 308T or areception 308R. For certain example embodiments, a flight path 312 maycomprise or include a flight trajectory, a heading, a speed, adirection, a velocity, an acceleration, a position, an altitude, astability level, a destination, a two-dimensional course or athree-dimensional course through air or space, a course through aspherical geometrical space, a time or times at which a course is to betraversed, a time or times at which one or more positions or one or morealtitudes are to be attained, a time or times at which other flightcharacteristic(s) are to be attained, extrapolated position-time stamppairs based on current flight characteristic(s), extrapolatedaltitude-time stamp pairs based on current flight characteristic(s), acombination thereof, or so forth. However, claimed subject matter is notlimited to any particular described embodiments, implementations,examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, a remote UFV 102R, a POFV 302, or abase station 306 may engage in at least one communication 308, such as atransmission 308T or a reception 308R, with at least one UFV 102.Although not explicitly shown in schematic diagram 300C, for certainexample embodiments, each of remote UFV 102R, POFV 302, or base station306 may additionally or alternatively exchange at least onecommunication 308 with at least one other of remote UFV 102R, POFV 302,or base station 306. For certain example implementations, a remote UFV102R may transmit at least one transmission 308T to or receive at leastone reception 308R from at least one of a UFV 102, another remote UFV102R, a POFV 302, a base station 306, a combination thereof, or soforth. For certain example implementations, a POFV 302 may transmit atleast one transmission 308T to or receive at least one reception 308Rfrom at least one of a UFV 102, a remote UFV 102R, another POFV 302, abase station 306, a combination thereof, or so forth. For certainexample implementations, a base station 306 may transmit at least onetransmission 308T to or receive at least one reception 308R from atleast one of a UFV 102, a remote UFV 102R, a POFV 302, another basestation 306, a combination thereof, or so forth. However, claimedsubject matter is not limited to any particular described embodiments,implementations, examples, etc.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram 400 of an example unoccupied flyingvehicle (UFV) including one or more example components in accordancewith certain example embodiments. As shown in FIG. 4, a UFV 102 mayinclude one or more components such as: at least one processor 402, oneor more media 404, logic 406, circuitry 408, at least one communicationinterface 410, at least one interconnect 412, at least one power source414, at least one motility mechanism 416, one or more sensors 418, somecombination thereof, or so forth. Furthermore, as shown in schematicdiagram 400, one or more media 404 may include one or more instructions420, at least one hazard handling 422 routine, one or more flightattributes 424, some combination thereof, or so forth; a communicationinterface 410 may include at least one wireless communication interface410 a, at least one wired communication interface 410 b, somecombination thereof, or so forth; or a motility mechanism 416 mayinclude at least one power train 416 a, at least one steering assembly416 b, some combination thereof, or so forth. However, a UFV 102 mayalternatively include more, fewer, or different component(s) from thosethat are illustrated without departing from claimed subject matter.

For certain example embodiments, a UFV 102 may include or comprise atleast one machine that is capable of flight, flight control processing,(local) flight control, some combination thereof, or so forth. UFV 102may include, for example, a computing platform or any electronic devicehaving at least one processor or memory. Processor 402 may include, byway of example but not limitation, any one or more of a general-purposeprocessor, a specific-purpose processor, a digital signal processor(DSP), a processing unit, some combination thereof, or so forth. Aprocessing unit may be implemented, for example, with one or moreapplication specific integrated circuits (ASICs), DSPs, digital signalprocessing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), fieldprogrammable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors generally, processingcores, discrete/fixed logic circuitry, controllers, micro-controllers,microprocessors, some combination thereof, or so forth. Media 404 maybear, store, contain, include, provide access to, or a combinationthereof, etc. instructions 420, which may be executable by a processor402; at least one hazard handling 422 routine, which may at leastpartially form at least a portion of instructions 420; one or moreflight attributes 424; some combination thereof; or so forth.Instructions 420 may include or comprise, by way of example but notlimitation, a program, a module, an application or app (e.g., that isnative, that runs in a browser, that runs within a virtual machine, or acombination thereof, etc.), an operating system, or a combinationthereof, etc. or portion thereof; operational data structures; sourcecode, object code, just-in-time (JIT) compiled code, or a combinationthereof, etc.; processor-executable instructions; other code; somecombination thereof; or so forth. Media 404 may include, by way ofexample but not limitation, processor-accessible or non-transitory media(e.g., memory, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), flashmemory, hard drives, disk-based media, disc-based media, magneticstorage, optical storage, volatile memory, nonvolatile memory, or acombination thereof, etc.) that is capable of bearing instructions, oneor more hazard handling routines, one or more flight attributes, somecombination thereof, or so forth.

For certain example embodiments, execution of instructions 420 by one ormore processors 402 may transform at least a portion of UFV 102 into aspecial-purpose computing device, apparatus, platform, some combinationthereof, or so forth. Instructions 420 may include, for example,instructions that are capable of realizing at least a portion of one ormore flow diagrams, methods, processes, procedures, operations,functionality, technology, mechanisms, or a combination thereof, etc.that are described herein or illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Ahazard handling 422 routine may include, for example, instructions thatare capable of realizing at least a portion of one or more flowdiagrams, methods, processes, procedures, operations, functionality,technology, mechanisms, or a combination thereof, etc. that aredescribed herein or illustrated in the accompanying drawings or that aredirected toward detecting, sensing, avoiding, managing, mitigating,communicating about, coordinating over, eliminating, predicting,removing, accounting for, remedying aftermath caused by, cooperating toaddress, or a combination thereof, etc. at least one hazard. A flightattribute 424 may include, for example, data describing or representingat least one flight attribute of a UFV, such as one or more flightcharacteristics, one or more flight capabilities, a combination thereof,or so forth. Additionally or alternatively, at least a portion of flightattributes 424 may be at least partially accessible to or integratedwith hazard handling 422.

For certain example embodiments, logic 406 may include hardware,software, firmware, discrete/fixed logic circuitry, or a combinationthereof, etc. that is capable of performing or facilitating performanceof flow diagrams, methods, processes, procedures, operations,functionality, technology, mechanisms, or a combination thereof, etc.that are described herein or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.Circuitry 408 may include hardware, software, firmware, discrete/fixedlogic circuitry, or a combination thereof, etc. that is capable ofperforming or facilitating performance of flow diagrams, methods,processes, procedures, operations, functionality, technology,mechanisms, or a combination thereof, etc. that are described herein orillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein circuitry 408 includesat least one physical or hardware component or aspect.

For certain example embodiments, one or more communication interfaces410 may provide one or more interfaces between UFV 102 and anothermachine or a person/operator. With respect to a person/operator, acommunication interface 410 may include, by way of example but notlimitation, a screen, a speaker, keys/buttons, a microphone, or otherperson-device input/output apparatuses. A wireless communicationinterface 410 a or a wired communication interface 410 b may also oralternatively include, by way of example but not limitation, atransceiver (e.g., a transmitter or a receiver), a radio, an antenna, awired interface connector or other similar apparatus (e.g., a networkconnector, a universal serial bus (USB) connector, a proprietaryconnector, a Thunderbolt® or Light Peak® connector, or a combinationthereof, etc.), a physical or logical network adapter or port, afrequency converter, a baseband processor, a photoreceptor, or acombination thereof, etc. to communicate wireless signals or wiredsignals via one or more wireless communication links or wiredcommunication links, respectively. Communications with at least onecommunication interface 410 may enable transmitting, receiving, orinitiating of transmissions, just to name a few examples.

For certain example embodiments, at least one interconnect 412 mayenable signal communication between or among components of UFV 102.Interconnect 412 may include, by way of example but not limitation, oneor more buses, channels, switching fabrics, some combination thereof, orso forth. Although not explicitly illustrated in FIG. 4, one or morecomponents of UFV 102 may be coupled to interconnect 412 via a discreteor integrated interface. By way of example only, one or more interfacesmay couple a communication interface 410 or a processor 402 to at leastone interconnect 412. For certain example embodiments, at least onepower source 414 may provide power to one or more components of UFV 102.Power source 414 may include, by way of example but not limitation, abattery, a power connector, a solar power source or charger, amechanical power source or charger, a fuel source, a generator, anengine, some combination thereof, or so forth.

For certain example embodiments, at least one sensor 418 may sense,produce, or otherwise provide at least one sensor value. Sensors 418 mayinclude, by way of example only, a camera, a microphone, anaccelerometer, a thermometer, a satellite positioning system (SPS)sensor, a barometer, a humidity sensor, a compass, an altimeter, anairspeed detector, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a pressure sensor, anoscillation detector, a light sensor, an inertial measurement unit(IMU), a tactile sensor, a touch sensor, a flexibility sensor, amicroelectromechanical system (MEMS), some combination thereof, or soforth. Values provided by at least one sensor 418 may include, by way ofexample but not limitation, an image/video, a sound recording, anacceleration value, a temperature, one or more SPS coordinates, abarometric pressure, a humidity level, a compass direction, an altitude,an airspeed, a gyroscopic value, a magnetic reading, a pressure value,an oscillation value, an ambient light reading, inertial readings, touchdetections, proximate object location, flex detections, some combinationthereof, or so forth.

For certain example embodiments, a motility mechanism 416 may enable UFV102 to fly, overcome gravitational forces, overcome wind resistance ordrag, accelerate, avoid a hazard, some combination thereof, or so forth.For certain example embodiments, a power train 416 a of a motilitymechanism 416 may include one or more components that work separately orat least partially together to transform or convert stored energy intokinetic energy in order to propel UFV 102. For certain exampleimplementations, a power train 416 a may include at least one engine, atleast one transmission, one or more blades or propellers, at least onemotor, some combination thereof, or so forth. For certain exampleembodiments, a steering assembly 416 b of a motility mechanism 416 mayinclude one or more components that work separately or at leastpartially together to transform propulsive kinetic energy into forward,backward, up, down, right, left, a combination thereof, etc. movement orsome other directionality change for a UFV. For certain exampleimplementations, a steering assembly 416 b may include at least oneaileron, at least one rudder, at least one elevator, one or more bladesor propellers, at least one transmission that routes power to differentmotors or other propulsive components, at least one rotor disk tilter,at least one blade pitch angle changer, or a combination thereof, or soforth. Although illustrated separately in schematic diagram 400, powertrain 416 a and steering assembly 416 b may be implemented at leastpartially jointly to realize motility mechanism 416.

However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particulardescribed embodiments, implementations, examples, or so forth. Forinstance, it should be understood that for certain exampleimplementations components that are illustrated separately in FIG. 4 maynot necessarily be separate or mutually exclusive. For example, a givencomponent may provide multiple functionalities. By way of example only,a single component such as a photodetector may function as a wirelesscommunication interface 410 a or a sensor 418. Additionally oralternatively, one or more instructions 420 may function to realize orembody at least part of hazard handling 422 or flight attributes 424.

It should also be understood that for certain example implementationscomponents that are illustrated in schematic diagram 400 or describedherein may or may not be integral with or integrated into or onto a UFV102. For example, a component may be removably connected to a UFV 102, acomponent may be wirelessly coupled to a UFV 102, some combinationthereof, or so forth. By way of example only, instructions 420 may bestored on a removable card having at least one medium 404. Additionallyor alternatively, at least a portion of a motility mechanism 416, suchas an engine or a fuel source, may be detachable from or replaceablewith a UFV 102. However, claimed subject matter is not limited to anyparticular described embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram 500 of an example base station, which maybe in communication with at least one UFV (not shown in FIG. 5),including one or more example components for a base station inaccordance with certain example embodiments. As shown in FIG. 5, a basestation 306 may include one or more components such as: at least oneprocessor 502, one or more media 504, logic 506, circuitry 508, at leastone communication interface 510, at least one interconnect 512, at leastone power source 514, at least one entity interface 516, somecombination thereof, or so forth. Furthermore, as shown in schematicdiagram 500, one or more media 504 may include one or more instructions518, at least one hazard handling 520 routine, at least one flightattribute 522, some combination thereof, or so forth; or communicationinterface 510 may include at least one wireless communication interface510 a, at least one wired communication interface 510 b, somecombination thereof, or so forth. However, a base station 306 mayalternatively include more, fewer, or different component(s) from thosethat are illustrated without departing from claimed subject matter.

For certain example embodiments, a base station 306 may include orcomprise at least one machine that is capable of flight controlprocessing, (distant) flight control, some combination thereof, or soforth. Base station 306 may include, for example, a computing platformor any electronic device or devices having at least one processor ormemory. Processor 502 may include, by way of example but not limitation,any one or more of a general-purpose processor, a specific-purposeprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a processing unit, somecombination thereof, or so forth. A processing unit may be implemented,for example, with one or more application specific integrated circuits(ASICs), DSPs, digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmablelogic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processorsgenerally, processing cores, discrete/fixed logic circuitry,controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, some combinationthereof, or so forth. Media 504 may bear, store, contain, include,provide access to, or a combination thereof, etc. instructions 518,which may be executable by a processor 502; at least one hazard handling520 routine, which may at least partially form at least a portion ofinstructions 518; one or more flight attributes 522; some combinationthereof; or so forth. Instructions 518 may include or comprise, by wayof example but not limitation, a program, a module, an application orapp (e.g., that is native, that runs in a browser, that runs within avirtual machine or server, or a combination thereof, etc.), an operatingsystem, or a combination thereof, etc. or portion thereof; operationaldata structures; source code, object code, just-in-time (JIT) compiledcode, or a combination thereof, etc.; processor-executable instructions;other code; some combination thereof; or so forth. Media 504 mayinclude, by way of example but not limitation, processor-accessible ornon-transitory media (e.g., memory, random access memory (RAM), readonly memory (ROM), flash memory, hard drives, disk-based media,disc-based media, magnetic storage, optical storage, volatile memory,nonvolatile memory, or a combination thereof, etc.) that is capable ofbearing instructions, one or more hazard handling routines, one or moreflight attributes, some combination thereof, or so forth.

For certain example embodiments, execution of instructions 518 by one ormore processors 502 may transform at least a portion of base station 306into a special-purpose computing device, apparatus, platform, somecombination thereof, or so forth. Instructions 518 may include, forexample, instructions that are capable of realizing at least a portionof one or more flow diagrams methods, processes, procedures, operations,functionality, technology, mechanisms, or a combination thereof, etc.that are described herein or illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Ahazard handling 520 routine may include, for example, instructions thatare capable of realizing at least a portion of one or more flowdiagrams, methods, processes, procedures, operations, functionality,technology, mechanisms, or a combination thereof, etc. that aredescribed herein or illustrated in the accompanying drawings and thatare directed toward interacting with at least one UFV to facilitatedetecting, seeing, avoiding, managing, mitigating, communicating about,coordinating over, eliminating, predicting, removing, accounting for,remedying aftermath caused by, cooperating to address, or a combinationthereof, etc. at least one hazard. A flight attribute 522 may include,for example, data describing or representing at least one flightattribute, such as one or more flight characteristics, one or moreflight capabilities, a combination thereof, etc. of at least one UFVthat base station 306 is communicating with, is at least partiallycontrolling, is monitoring, some combination thereof, or so forth.Additionally or alternatively, at least a portion of flight attributes522 may be at least partially accessible to or integrated with hazardhandling 520.

For certain example embodiments, logic 506 may include hardware,software, firmware, discrete/fixed logic circuitry, or a combinationthereof, etc. that is capable of performing or facilitating performanceof flow diagrams, methods, processes, procedures, operations,functionality, technology, mechanisms, or a combination thereof, etc.that are described herein or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.Circuitry 508 may include hardware, software, firmware, discrete/fixedlogic circuitry, or a combination thereof, etc. that is capable ofperforming or facilitating performance of flow diagrams, methods,processes, procedures, operations, functionality, technology,mechanisms, or a combination thereof, etc. that are described herein orillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein circuitry 508 includesat least one physical or hardware component or aspect.

For certain example embodiments, one or more communication interfaces510 may provide one or more interfaces between base station 306 andanother machine or a person/operator/entity directly or indirectly. Awireless communication interface 510 a or a wired communicationinterface 510 b may also or alternatively include, by way of example butnot limitation, a transceiver (e.g., a transmitter or a receiver), aradio, an antenna, a wired interface connector or other similarapparatus (e.g., a network connector, a universal serial bus (USB)connector, a proprietary connector, a Thunderbolt® or Light Peak®connector, a gateway, or a combination thereof, etc.), a physical orlogical network adapter or port, a frequency converter, a basebandprocessor, an internet or telecommunications backbone connector, a fiberoptic connector, a storage area network (SAN) connector, or acombination thereof, etc. to communicate wireless signals or wiredsignals via one or more wireless communication links or wiredcommunication links, respectively. Communications with at least onecommunication interface 510 may enable transmitting, receiving, orinitiating of transmissions, just to name a few examples.

For certain example embodiments, at least one interconnect 512 mayenable signal communication between or among components of base station306. Interconnect 512 may include, by way of example but not limitation,one or more buses, channels, switching fabrics, local area networks(LANs), storage area networks (SANs), some combination thereof, or soforth. Although not explicitly illustrated in FIG. 5, one or morecomponents of base station 306 may be coupled to interconnect 512 via adiscrete or integrated interface. By way of example only, one or moreinterfaces may couple a processor 502 or a medium 504 to at least oneinterconnect 512. For certain example embodiments, at least one powersource 514 may provide power to one or more components of base station306. Power source 514 may include, by way of example but not limitation,a power connector for accessing an electrical grid, a fuel cell, a solarpower source, one or more batteries, some combination thereof, or soforth.

For certain example embodiments, an entity interface 516 may enable oneor more entities (e.g., a person, a group, an electronic agent, arobotic entity, or a combination thereof, etc.) to provide input to orreceive output from base station 306. Interactions between an entity anda base station may relate, by way of example but not limitation, toinputting or outputting instructions, commands, settings, flightcharacteristics, flight capabilities, some combination thereof, or soforth. Certain entity interfaces 516 may enable both entity input andentity output at base station 306 or over at least one network link.

However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particulardescribed embodiments, implementations, examples, or so forth. Forinstance, it should be understood that for certain exampleimplementations components that are illustrated separately in FIG. 5need not necessarily be separate or mutually exclusive. For example, agiven component may provide multiple functionalities. By way of exampleonly, hard-wired logic 506 may form circuitry 508. Additionally oralternatively, a single component such as a connector may function as acommunication interface 510 or as an entity interface 516. Additionallyor alternatively, one or more instructions 518 may function to realizeor embody at least part of hazard handling 520 or flight attributes 522.

It should also be understood that for certain example implementationscomponents that are illustrated in schematic diagram 500 or describedherein may not be integral or integrated with a base station 306. Forexample, a component may be removably connected to a base station 306, acomponent may be wirelessly coupled to a base station 306, one or morecomponents of a base station 306 may be geographically distributed orseparated from one another, some combination thereof, or so forth. Byway of example only, instructions 518 may be stored on one medium 504,and flight attributes 522 (or another portion of instructions 518) maybe stored on a different medium 504, which may be part or a same serveror a part of a different server of, e.g., a server farm. Additionally oralternatively, respective processor-media pairs, if any, may bephysically realized on different or respective server blades or servercontainers for a base station 306 that is implemented on serverhardware. However, claimed subject matter is not limited to anyparticular described embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram 600 of an example UFV that has one or morefunctional modules or one or more operational components in accordancewith certain example embodiments. As shown in FIG. 6, example UFV 102 ofschematic diagram 600 may include, by way of example but not limitation,at least one UFV hazard handling module 310, at least one communicationinterface 410, at least one interconnect 412, at least one motilitymechanism 416, one or more sensors 418, or at least one UFV flightcontrol module 602. More specifically, communication interface 410 mayinclude at least one radio 604, or so forth; or motility mechanism 416may include at least one power train 416 a, at least one steeringassembly 416 b, some combination thereof, or so forth. However, a UFV102 may alternatively include more, fewer, or different module(s) orcomponent(s) from those that are illustrated without departing fromclaimed subject matter.

For certain example embodiments, a UFV hazard handling module 310 mayoperate to implement, perform, facilitate performance of, or acombination thereof, etc. one or more flow diagrams, methods, processes,procedures, operations, functionality, technology, modules, mechanisms,or a combination thereof, etc. that are described herein or illustratedin the accompanying drawings or that relate to handling an actual or apotential hazard. Example aspects related to hazard handling in a UFVcontext are described further herein above and below. Although UFVhazard handling module 310 and UFV flight control module 602 areillustrated separately in schematic diagram 600, they may additionallyor alternatively be implemented at least partially in combination,jointly, with an overlapping functionality, some combination thereof, orso forth. For certain example embodiments, and by way of example but notlimitation, at least a portion of one or more modules (e.g., module 702,module 704, or a combination thereof, etc.) that are described hereinbelow with particular reference to FIG. 7A may be implemented as atleast part of UFV hazard handling module 310, as at least part of UFVflight control module 602, some combination thereof, or so forth.However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particulardescribed embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, a module may include or be comprised ofat least one processor (e.g., a processor 402 of FIG. 4, etc.), one ormore media (e.g., a medium 404 of FIG. 4, etc.), executable instructions(e.g., processor-executable instructions, instructions 420 of FIG. 4,computer-implementable instructions, etc.) incorporated into one or moremedia, logic (e.g., logic 406 of FIG. 4, etc.), circuitry (e.g.,circuitry 408 of FIG. 4, etc.), other described or illustratedcomponent(s), may be comprised as otherwise described herein, somecombination thereof, or so forth. For certain example implementations,one or more modules (e.g., a UFV hazard handling module 310, a UFVflight control module 602, or a combination thereof, etc.) of at leastone UFV 102 may function or interoperate with one or more modules of atleast one remote UFV 102R, at least one POFV 302, at least one basestation 306 (e.g., each of FIGS. 3A-3C), or a combination thereof, etc.via at least one radio 604 of UFV 102. However, claimed subject matteris not limited to any particular described embodiments, implementations,examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, UFV 102 may be in constant, infrequent,regular, irregular, intermittent, occasional, scheduled, unscheduled, acombination thereof, etc. communication with at least one remote UFV102R, at least one POFV 302, at least one base station 306, or acombination thereof, etc. via radio 604. One or more sensors 418 orradio 604 may feed sensor readings, telemetry, flight attributes, acombination thereof, etc. to UFV hazard handling module 310, UFV flightcontrol module 602, a combination thereof, or so forth. For certainexample implementations, UFV hazard handling module 310 may at leastmake hazard-related flight control decisions or provide flight controlinput to UFV flight control module 602 with regard to handling actual orpotential hazards. For certain example implementations, UFV flightcontrol module 602 may at least partially make flight control decisionsor provide flight control commands to motility mechanism 416 so as toimplement flight control decisions, including, by way of example but notlimitation, based at least partly on flight control input provided byUFV hazard handling module 310. Additionally or alternatively, a UFVhazard handling module 310 may supply flight control input, including byway of example but not limitation with at least one flight controlcommand, directly (e.g., without routing it first through UFV flightcontrol module 602) to motility mechanism 416. To implement flightcontrol decisions, including flight control commands, motility mechanism416 may employ power train 416 a to provide at least one propulsiveforce or may employ steering assembly 416 b to provide at least onedirectional change. However, claimed subject matter is not limited toany particular described embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

FIG. 7A is a schematic diagram 700A that includes at least one examplemachine, such as an unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV), that is capable ofhandling scenarios for inter-vehicle flight attribute communication fora UFV in accordance with certain example embodiments. As shown in FIG.7A, by way of example but not limitation, schematic diagram 700Aincludes at least one machine that may include an imparting indicationobtainment module 702 or a flight attribute indicator transmissionmodule 704. More specifically, schematic diagram 700A may include amachine that includes or comprises at least one UFV 102. By way ofexample but not limitation, an imparting indication obtainment module702 or a flight attribute indicator transmission module 704 may includeor comprise or be realized with at least one processor that executesinstructions (e.g., sequentially, in parallel, at least partiallyoverlapping in a time-multiplexed fashion, at least partially acrossmultiple cores, or a combination thereof, etc.) as at least onespecial-purpose computing component, or otherwise as described herein.However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particulardescribed embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an imparting indication obtainmentmodule 702 or a flight attribute indicator transmission module 704 maybe implemented separately or at least partially jointly or incombination. For certain example implementations, an impartingindication obtainment module 702 may be configured to obtain at leastone indication related to imparting at least one flight attributecorresponding to a UFV. For certain example implementations, a flightattribute indicator transmission module 704 may be configured totransmit to a remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flightattribute corresponding to a UFV based at least partially on at leastone indication related to imparting the at least one flight attribute.However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particulardescribed embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

FIGS. 7B-7E are schematic diagrams 700B-700E that include at least oneexample machine and that depict example scenarios for implementinginter-vehicle flight attribute communication for an unoccupied flyingvehicle (UFV) in accordance with certain example embodiments. As shownin FIGS. 7B-7E, by way of example but not limitation, one or more ofschematic diagrams 700B-700E may include at least one UFV 102, at leastone remote UFV 102R, at least one flight attribute 706, at least oneimparting indication 708, at least one flight attribute indicator 710,at least one obtainment 712, or at least one transmission 714. Each ofschematic diagrams 700B-700E may include alternative or additionaldepictions, which may relate to inter-vehicle flight attributecommunication for a UFV, as described herein. In addition to or inalternative to description herein below with specific reference to FIGS.7B-7E, illustrated aspects of schematic diagrams 700B-700E may berelevant to example description with reference to FIG. 8A-8B, 9A-9D, or10A. However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particulardescribed embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

As shown in FIG. 7B, by way of example but not limitation, schematicdiagram 700B may include at least one UFV 102, at least one remote UFV102R, at least one flight attribute 706, at least one impartingindication 708, at least one flight attribute indicator 710, at leastone obtainment 712, or at least one transmission 714. For certainexample embodiments, a flight attribute 706 may correspond to UFV 102 ormay comprise or include at least one flight characteristic (not shownseparately in FIG. 7B), at least one flight capability (not shownseparately in FIG. 7B), some combination thereof, or so forth. Forcertain example embodiments, an imparting indication 708 may comprise orinclude a received flight attribute inquiry, a received negotiationrequest, a retrieved flight attribute update procedure, a retrievedflight attribute announcement procedure, some combination thereof, or soforth. For certain example embodiments, at least one impartingindication 708 may be obtained, as at least part of an obtainment 712,from remote UFV 102R via at least one reception 308R (e.g., of FIG. 3C),may be retrieved from one or more media 404 (e.g., of FIG. 4), somecombination thereof, or so forth. However, claimed subject matter is notlimited to any particular described embodiments, implementations,examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, a UFV 102 may transmit at least oneflight attribute indicator 710, which may be at least partiallyindicative or representative of at least one flight attribute 706, as atleast part of a transmission 714, which may be or may comprise anexample of at least part of a transmission 308T (e.g., of FIG. 3C). Forcertain example implementations, an imparting indication obtainmentmodule 702 (e.g., of FIG. 7A) may effectuate at least part of anobtainment 712. For certain example embodiments, based at leastpartially on at least one imparting indication 708, a UFV 102 may make atransmission 714 of at least one flight attribute indicator 710 to aremote UFV 102R. For certain example implementations, a flight attributeindicator transmission module 704 (e.g., of FIG. 7A) may effectuate atleast part of a transmission 714. However, claimed subject matter is notlimited to any particular described embodiments, implementations,examples, etc. Additional or alternative description that may berelevant to schematic diagram 700B is provided herein below withparticular reference to one or more of any of FIGS. 8A-8B, FIGS. 9A-9D,or FIG. 10A.

As shown in FIG. 7C, by way of example but not limitation, schematicdiagram 700C may include at least one UFV 102, at least one remote UFV102R, at least one flight attribute 706, at least one impartingindication 708, at least one flight attribute indicator 710, at leastone obtainment 712, at least one transmission 714, at least one flightattribute inquiry 716, at least one negotiation request 718, at leastone flight attribute update procedure 720, at least one flightcharacteristic 722, at least one flight attribute announcement procedure724, or at least one flight capability 726. However, claimed subjectmatter is not limited to any particular described embodiments,implementations, examples, etc. Additional or alternative descriptionthat may be relevant to schematic diagram 700C is provided herein belowwith particular reference to one or more of any of FIGS. 8A-8B, FIGS.9A-9D, or FIG. 10A.

As shown in FIG. 7D, by way of example but not limitation, schematicdiagram 700D may include at least one UFV 102, at least one remote UFV102R, at least one flight attribute 706, at least one impartingindication 708, at least one flight attribute indicator 710, at leastone obtainment 712, at least one transmission 714, at least one flightcharacteristic 722, at least one flight capability 726, at least onewireless signal 728, at least one directional beam 730, at least oneflight path 732, at least one position 734, at least one speed 736 a, atleast one direction 736 b, at least one acceleration 738, at least onealtitude 740, at least one expected future flight characteristic 742, atleast one identified acceleration 744, at least one recommended speed746, at least one turning ability 748, at least one hovering ability750, at least one maneuverability indicator 752, at least one remainingavailable airtime 754, at least one flight bubble 756 (e.g., withrespect to an indicator), or flight bubble 756*(e.g., with respect to aphysical shape or actual airspace around a vehicle). However, claimedsubject matter is not limited to any particular described embodiments,implementations, examples, etc. Additional or alternative descriptionthat may be relevant to schematic diagram 700D is provided herein belowwith particular reference to one or more of any of FIGS. 8A-8B, FIGS.9A-9D, or FIG. 10A.

As shown in FIG. 7E, by way of example but not limitation, schematicdiagram 700E may include at least one UFV 102, at least one remote UFV102R, at least one flight attribute 706, at least one impartingindication 708, at least one flight attribute indicator 710 (e.g., withrespect to a UFV 102), at least one flight attribute indicator710*(e.g., with respect to a remote UFV 102R), at least one obtainment712, at least one transmission 714, at least one flight path 732, atleast one adjustment 758, at least one negotiation 760, at least oneadjustment offer 762, or at least one adjustment request 764. However,claimed subject matter is not limited to any particular describedembodiments, implementations, examples, etc. Additional or alternativedescription that may be relevant to schematic diagram 700E is providedherein below with particular reference to one or more of any of FIGS.8A-8B, FIGS. 9A-9D, or FIG. 10A.

Following are a series of flowcharts depicting implementations. For easeof understanding, the flowcharts are organized such that the initialflowcharts present implementations via an example implementation andthereafter the following flowcharts present alternate implementationsand/or expansions of the initial flowchart(s) as either sub-componentoperations or additional component operations building on one or moreearlier-presented flowcharts. Those having skill in the art willappreciate that the style of presentation utilized herein (e.g.,beginning with a presentation of a flowchart(s) presenting an exampleimplementation and thereafter providing additions to and/or furtherdetails in subsequent flowcharts) generally allows for a rapid and easyunderstanding of the various process implementations. In addition, thoseskilled in the art will further appreciate that the style ofpresentation used herein also lends itself well to modular and/orobject-oriented program design paradigms.

FIG. 8A is a flow diagram 800A illustrating an example method for atleast one machine with regard to inter-vehicle flight attributecommunication for a UFV in accordance with certain example embodiments.As illustrated, flow diagram 800A may include any of operations 802-804.Although operations 802-804 are shown or described in a particularorder, it should be understood that methods may be performed inalternative manners without departing from claimed subject matter,including, but not limited to, with a different order or number ofoperations or with a different relationship between or among operations.Also, at least some operation(s) of flow diagram 800A may be performedso as to be fully or partially overlapping with other operation(s). Forcertain example embodiments, one or more operations of flow diagram 800Amay be performed by at least one machine (e.g., a UFV 102 or at least aportion thereof).

For certain example embodiments, a method for hazard handling for anunoccupied flying vehicle (UFV) (e.g., that includes, involves,addresses, reacts to, or a combination thereof, etc. or other otherwisehandles at least one remote UFV 102R, at least one POFV 302, at leastone other object that may present a collision risk, at least oneweather-related condition, at least one obstacle to a mission objective,at least one hindrance to accomplishing a task, at least one delay toachieving a goal, or a combination thereof, etc.), which method may beat least partially implemented using hardware (e.g., circuitry, at leastone processor, processor-accessible memory, at least one module, or acombination thereof, etc.) of a machine such as a UFV, may include anoperation 802 or an operation 804. An operation 802 may be directed atleast partially to obtaining at least one indication related toimparting at least one flight attribute corresponding to a UFV. Forcertain example implementations, at least one machine may obtain (e.g.,acquire, ascertain, determine, receive, retrieve, or a combinationthereof, etc. via at least one obtainment 712) at least one indication708 (e.g., a sign, evidence, a showing, a reception, a receivedcommunication, a retrieval, a memory location, a data structure, areceived flight attribute inquiry, a received negotiation request, aretrieved flight attribute update procedure, a retrieved flightattribute announcement procedure, or a combination thereof, etc.)related to imparting (e.g., disclosing, relating, bestowing,communicating, providing, or a combination thereof, etc.) at least oneflight attribute 706 (e.g., a flying capability, an identification of acraft category, an identification of a craft owner or operator, anindication of a flight path, a description of a flight purpose, a flighttrajectory, a description of a flying state, a specified flightperformance ability, an aircraft type, an altitude or locationrestriction, a safe acceleration level, an acceleration, a stabilityrating, a payload, an intended destination, a flight characteristic, aflight capability, or a combination thereof, etc.) corresponding to aUFV 102. By way of example but not limitation, at least one UFV mayobtain at least one indication related to imparting at least one flightattribute corresponding to a UFV (e.g., e.g., a local UAV may receive arequest for a flight attribute or acquire a disclosure scheduleidentifying a flight attribute, such as a current speed or a maximumvertical acceleration of the local UAV, that is to be shared ordisseminated). However, claimed subject matter is not limited to anyparticular described embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 804 may be directed atleast partially to transmitting to a remote UFV at least one indicatorof the at least one flight attribute corresponding to the UFV based atleast partially on the at least one indication related to imparting theat least one flight attribute. For certain example implementations, atleast one machine may transmit (e.g., send, communicate by wire,communicate wirelessly, frequency up-convert, modulate, encode,propagate, emanate from an emitter or antenna, or a combination thereof,etc. via at least one transmission 714) to a remote UFV 102R at leastone indicator 710 (e.g., a description, a designation, an expression, arepresentation, an indirect identification, a direct identification, areference, a code providing a linkage to, a signal, a value, or acombination thereof, etc.) of at least one flight attribute 706corresponding to a UFV 102 based at least partially on at least oneindication 708 related to imparting at least one flight attribute 706.By way of example but not limitation, at least one UFV may transmit to aremote UFV at least one indicator of the at least one flight attributecorresponding to the UFV based at least partially on the at least oneindication related to imparting the at least one flight attribute (e.g.,a local UAV may transmit to a remote UAV a value of or a reference to aflight attribute, such as a current altitude or a turning ability,wherein the remote UAV may or may not have made a previous inquiryregarding the flight attribute). However, claimed subject matter is notlimited to any particular described embodiments, implementations,examples, etc.

FIG. 8B depicts example additions or alternatives for a flow diagram ofFIG. 8A in accordance with certain example embodiments. As illustrated,a flow diagram of FIG. 8B may include any of the illustrated ordescribed operations. Although operations are shown or described in aparticular order or with a particular relationship to one or more otheroperations, it should be understood that methods may be performed inalternative manners without departing from claimed subject matter,including, but not limited to, with a different order or number ofoperations or with a different relationship between or among operations(e.g., operations that are illustrated as nested blocks are notnecessarily subsidiary operations and may instead be performedindependently). Also, at least some operation(s) of a flow diagram ofFIG. 8B may be performed so as to be fully or partially overlapping withother operation(s). For certain example embodiments, one or moreoperations of flow diagram 800B (of FIG. 8B) may be performed by atleast one machine (e.g., a UFV 102 or at least a portion thereof).

FIG. 8B illustrates a flow diagram 800B having example operations 810,812, 814, or 816. For certain example embodiments, an operation 810 maybe directed at least partially to wherein the obtaining at least oneindication related to imparting at least one flight attributecorresponding to a UFV (of operation 802) includes receiving from theremote UFV at least one flight attribute inquiry. For certain exampleimplementations, at least one machine may receive (e.g., accept, decode,demodulate, down-convert, detect, obtain from or via a communication,route from an antenna, or a combination thereof, etc.) from a remote UFV102R at least one flight attribute inquiry 716 (e.g., a query regarding,an interrogation about, a request for, or a combination thereof, etc.directed to one or more flight attributes 706). By way of example butnot limitation, at least one UFV may receive from the remote UFV atleast one flight attribute inquiry (e.g., a local UAV may receive from aremote UAV an inquiry asking the local UAV to provide to the remote UAVa flight attribute, such as a flight characteristic or a flightattribute, corresponding to the local UAV). However, claimed subjectmatter is not limited to any particular described embodiments,implementations, examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 812 may be directed atleast partially to wherein the obtaining at least one indication relatedto imparting at least one flight attribute corresponding to a UFV (ofoperation 802) includes receiving from the remote UFV at least onenegotiation request for a flight path adjustment. For certain exampleimplementations, at least one machine may receive (e.g., accept, decode,demodulate, down-convert, detect, obtain from or via a communication,route from an antenna, or a combination thereof, etc.) from a remote UFV102R at least one negotiation request 718 (e.g., a communication orexchange asking to discuss suggestions, options, possibilities, or acombination thereof, etc.) for a flight path adjustment (e.g., a changeto, a modification to, a deviation for, or a combination thereof, etc.at least one flight path 312 of a local or a remote UFV, such as bychanging a spatial location of a flight path or a time at which atrajectory of a flight path is to be traversed). By way of example butnot limitation, at least one UFV may receive from the remote UFV atleast one negotiation request for a flight path adjustment (e.g., alocal UAV may receive from a remote UAV a request to begin negotiatingbetween or among at least the local UAV and the remote UAV for the localUAV to adjust its flight path or for the remote UAV to adjust its flightpath to avoid a potential collision or to cooperatively achieve a goal).However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particulardescribed embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 814 may be directed atleast partially to wherein the obtaining at least one indication relatedto imparting at least one flight attribute corresponding to a UFV (ofoperation 802) includes retrieving from at least one memory at least aportion of at least one flight attribute update procedure that includesat least one plan for imparting one or more flight characteristics. Forcertain example implementations, at least one machine may retrieve(e.g., acquire, read, extract, load, or a combination thereof, etc.)from at least one memory (e.g., a processor register, a cache memory,RAM, flash memory, or a combination thereof, etc., such as for media 404of FIG. 4) at least a portion of at least one flight attribute updateprocedure 720 (e.g., a schedule of flight characteristic sharings ordisseminations, an agreed-upon or known channel for disseminating flightattributes, a mandated flight attribute beacon, a standardized broadcastof one or more prescribed flight characteristics that are to bedisseminated, a stored or broadcast plan for disseminating, flightattributes, a time or channel for sending a recently-acquired flightcharacteristic to a remote UFV that previously-inquired about it orthem, or a combination thereof, etc.) that includes at least one plan(e.g., a time, a schedule, a channel, a direction, a content, or acombination thereof, etc.) for imparting one or more flightcharacteristics 722 (e.g., a description of flying state, an indicationof flight path, a flight trajectory, a position, an altitude, a speed, adirection, a velocity, an acceleration, a current stability level, anintended destination, or a combination thereof, etc.). By way of examplebut not limitation, at least one UFV may retrieve from at least onememory at least a portion of at least one flight attribute updateprocedure that includes at least one plan for imparting one or moreflight characteristics (e.g., a local UAV may retrieve from an onboardcache memory a time to transmit, such as 12:30 p.m. or every minute, ora specific flight characteristic, such as velocity or position, that isto be transmitted). However, claimed subject matter is not limited toany particular described embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 816 may be directed atleast partially to wherein the obtaining at least one indication relatedto imparting at least one flight attribute corresponding to a UFV (ofoperation 802) includes retrieving from at least one memory at least aportion of at least one flight attribute announcement procedure thatincludes at least one plan for imparting one or more flightcapabilities. For certain example implementations, at least one machinemay retrieve (e.g., acquire, read, extract, load, or a combinationthereof, etc.) from at least one memory (e.g., a processor register, acache memory, RAM, flash memory, or a combination thereof, etc., such asfor media 404 of FIG. 4) at least a portion of at least one flightattribute announcement procedure 724 (e.g., a schedule of flightcapability broadcasts, an agreed-upon or known channel for sharing ordisseminating flight attributes, a mandated flight attribute beacon, astandardized broadcast for one or more prescribed flight capabilitiesthat are to be disseminated, a stored or broadcast plan for sharingflight attributes, or a combination thereof, etc.) that includes atleast one plan (e.g., a time, a schedule, a channel, a direction, acontent, or a combination thereof, etc.) for imparting one or moreflight capabilities 726 (e.g., indication of flying capabilities, aspecified flight performance ability, identification of craft oroperator, description of flight purpose, an aircraft type, indication ofwhat is achievable in contrast with what may be currently occurring,altitude restrictions, a safe acceleration level, weather constraints onflight adjustments, payload limitations, or a combination thereof,etc.). By way of example but not limitation, at least one UFV mayretrieve from at least one memory at least a portion of at least oneflight attribute announcement procedure that includes at least one planfor imparting one or more flight capabilities (e.g., a local UAV mayretrieve from flash memory a listing of one or more flight capabilities,such as a maximum acceleration or a vehicle craft type, that are to betransmitted at specified times or are to be transmitted if another UAVapproaches to a minimum distance range away from the UAV). However,claimed subject matter is not limited to any particular describedembodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

FIGS. 9A-9D depict example additions or alternatives for a flow diagramof FIG. 8A in accordance with certain example embodiments. Asillustrated, flow diagrams of FIGS. 9A-9D may include any of theillustrated or described operations. Although operations are shown ordescribed in a particular order or with a particular relationship to oneor more other operations, it should be understood that methods may beperformed in alternative manners without departing from claimed subjectmatter, including, but not limited to, with a different order or numberof operations or with a different relationship between or amongoperations (e.g., operations that are illustrated as nested blocks arenot necessarily subsidiary operations and may instead be performedindependently). Also, at least some operation(s) of flow diagrams ofFIGS. 9A-9D may be performed so as to be fully or partially overlappingwith other operation(s). For certain example embodiments, one or moreoperations of flow diagrams 900A-900D (of FIGS. 9A-9D) may be performedby at least one machine (e.g., a UFV 102 or at least a portion thereof).

FIG. 9A illustrates a flow diagram 900A having example operations 910 or912. For certain example embodiments, an operation 910 may be directedat least partially to wherein the transmitting to a remote UFV at leastone indicator of the at least one flight attribute corresponding to theUFV based at least partially on the at least one indication related toimparting the at least one flight attribute (of operation 804) includestransmitting to the remote UFV the at least one indicator of the atleast one flight attribute corresponding to the UFV via at least onewireless signal. For certain example implementations, at least onemachine may transmit to a remote UFV 102R at least one indicator 710 ofat least one flight attribute 706 corresponding to a UFV 102 via atleast one wireless signal 728 (e.g., a radio frequency (RF) signal, anelectromagnetic transmission propagating through air or space or water,a laser beam having information encoded thereon, or a combinationthereof, etc.). By way of example but not limitation, at least one UFVmay transmit to the remote UFV the at least one indicator of the atleast one flight attribute corresponding to the UFV via at least onewireless signal (e.g., a local UAV may transmit a code representative ofa flight capability, such as a turning capability, via a laser signal toa remote UAV). However, claimed subject matter is not limited to anyparticular described embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 912 may be directed atleast partially to wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV the atleast one indicator of the at least one flight attribute correspondingto the UFV via at least one wireless signal (of operation 910) includestransmitting to the remote UFV the at least one indicator of the atleast one flight attribute corresponding to the UFV via at least oneradio frequency (RF) wireless signal using at least one directionalbeam. For certain example implementations, at least one machine maytransmit to a remote UFV 102R at least one indicator 710 of at least oneflight attribute 706 corresponding to a UFV 102 via at least one radiofrequency (RF) wireless signal 728 (e.g., a radio wave, anelectromagnetic transmission in a radio frequency spectrum, or acombination thereof, etc.) using at least one directional beam 730(e.g., a transmissive or receptive signal created using a phased array,a spatially-filtered signal, an electromagnetic wave that is directed tocover an intended area while excluding other areas, or a combinationthereof, etc.). By way of example but not limitation, at least one UFVmay transmit to the remote UFV the at least one indicator of the atleast one flight attribute corresponding to the UFV via at least oneradio frequency (RF) wireless signal using at least one directional beam(e.g., a local UAV may transmit an RF signal over the air to a remoteUAV with a directional, beam-forming antenna with a beam aimed towardthe remote UAV and with the RF signal including a numeric value of aflight characteristic, such a current altitude in meters). However,claimed subject matter is not limited to any particular describedembodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

FIG. 9B illustrates a flow diagram 900B having example operations 916,918, 920, 922, 924, or 926. For certain example embodiments, anoperation 916 may be directed at least partially to wherein thetransmitting to a remote UFV at least one indicator of the at least oneflight attribute corresponding to the UFV based at least partially onthe at least one indication related to imparting the at least one flightattribute (of operation 804) includes transmitting to the remote UFV atleast one indicator of at least one flight characteristic of the UFV,the at least one flight characteristic representative of at least oneflight attribute that is changeable by the UFV to adjust a flight pathof the UFV. For certain example implementations, at least one machinemay transmit to a remote UFV 102R at least one indicator 710 of at leastone flight characteristic 722 (e.g., a description of flying state, anindication of flight path, a flight trajectory, a position, an altitude,a speed, a direction, a velocity, an acceleration, a current stabilitylevel, an intended destination, or a combination thereof, etc.) of a UFV102, with at least one flight characteristic 722 representative of atleast one flight attribute 706 that is changeable (e.g., able to bedecreased, able to be increased, malleable, alterable, capable of beingdeviated from, or a combination thereof, etc.) by UFV 102 to adjust(e.g., change, decrease, increase, replace, cause a deviation in, adapt,modify, alter, deviate from, add something to, take something away from,or a combination thereof, etc.) a flight path 732 (e.g., a heading, aflight trajectory, a position, an altitude, a speed, a direction avelocity, an acceleration, a stability level, a destination, a coursethrough air or space or a time at which the course is to be traversed,or a combination thereof, etc.) of UFV 102. By way of example but notlimitation, at least one UFV may transmit to the remote UFV at least oneindicator of at least one flight characteristic of the UFV, with the atleast one flight characteristic representative of at least one flightattribute that is changeable by the UFV to adjust a flight path of theUFV (e.g., a local UAV may transmit to a remote UAV at least part of aflight state, such as a current velocity or a current altitude, whichflight state may be at least partially changed to affect a flight pathof the local UAV). However, claimed subject matter is not limited to anyparticular described embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 918 may be directed atleast partially to wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at leastone indicator of at least one flight characteristic of the UFV, the atleast one flight characteristic representative of at least one flightattribute that is changeable by the UFV to adjust a flight path of theUFV, (of operation 916) includes transmitting to the remote UFV at leastone indicator of a position of the UFV. For certain exampleimplementations, at least one machine may transmit to a remote UFV 102Rat least one indicator 710 of a position 734 (e.g., at least onelocation above or on the earth; one or more geographical coordinates;one or more satellite positioning service (SPS) coordinates, such asGPS, GLONASS, or Galileo coordinates, that are at least partiallydetermined using at least one satellite; one or more map coordinates; atleast one reference to at least one determinable position, such as alandmark, a waypoint, or an address; one or more cardinal directions indegrees/minutes/seconds; at least one longitude or latitude; or acombination thereof; etc.) of a UFV 102. By way of example but notlimitation, at least one UFV may transmit to the remote UFV at least oneindicator of a position of the UFV (e.g., a local UAV may transmit to aremote UAV one or more GPS coordinates representative of a locationover/on the earth of the local UAV). However, claimed subject matter isnot limited to any particular described embodiments, implementations,examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 920 may be directed atleast partially to wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at leastone indicator of at least one flight characteristic of the UFV, the atleast one flight characteristic representative of at least one flightattribute that is changeable by the UFV to adjust a flight path of theUFV, (of operation 916) includes transmitting to the remote UFV at leastone indicator of at least one of a speed or a direction of the UFV. Forcertain example implementations, at least one machine may transmit to aremote UFV 102R at least one indicator 710 of at least one of a speed736 a (e.g., an airspeed, an absolute speed, a relative speed, a trueairspeed, a closing speed, miles per hour, meters per second, or acombination thereof, etc.) or a direction 736 b (e.g., a cardinaldirection, a heading, a compass direction, a direction with regard to aknown or determinable point of reference, or a combination thereof,etc.) of a UFV 102. By way of example but not limitation, at least oneUFV may transmit to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at leastone of a speed or a direction of the UFV (e.g., a local UAV may transmitto a remote UAV an airspeed or a heading or a velocity of the localUAV). However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particulardescribed embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 922 may be directed atleast partially to wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at leastone indicator of at least one flight characteristic of the UFV, the atleast one flight characteristic representative of at least one flightattribute that is changeable by the UFV to adjust a flight path of theUFV, (of operation 916) includes transmitting to the remote UFV at leastone indicator of an acceleration of the UFV. For certain exampleimplementations, at least one machine may transmit to a remote UFV 102Rat least one indicator 710 of an acceleration 738 (e.g., a rate ofchange in speed, a rate of change in direction, a rate of change invelocity, meters per second per second, one or more values that may beused to calculate an acceleration, or a combination thereof, etc.) of aUFV 102. By way of example but not limitation, at least one UFV maytransmit to the remote UFV at least one indicator of an acceleration ofthe UFV (e.g., a local UAV may transmit to a remote UAV a rate of changein speed or a rate of change in direction that the local UAV iscurrently undergoing). However, claimed subject matter is not limited toany particular described embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 924 may be directed atleast partially to wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at leastone indicator of at least one flight characteristic of the UFV, the atleast one flight characteristic representative of at least one flightattribute that is changeable by the UFV to adjust a flight path of theUFV, (of operation 916) includes transmitting to the remote UFV at leastone indicator of an altitude of the UFV. For certain exampleimplementations, at least one machine may transmit to a remote UFV 102Rat least one indicator 710 of an altitude 740 (e.g., a height aboutground, a height above sea level, one or more altimeter readings, avertical elevation above a surface, an atmospheric pressure thatcorresponds to an elevation, one or more values that can be used tocalculate an altitude, or a combination thereof, etc.) of a UFV 102. Byway of example but not limitation, at least one UFV may transmit to theremote UFV at least one indicator of an altitude of the UFV (e.g., alocal UAV may transmit to a remote UAV an elevation in feet that thelocal UAV is above ground or sea level). However, claimed subject matteris not limited to any particular described embodiments, implementations,examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 926 may be directed atleast partially to wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at leastone indicator of at least one flight characteristic of the UFV, the atleast one flight characteristic representative of at least one flightattribute that is changeable by the UFV to adjust a flight path of theUFV, (of operation 916) includes transmitting to the remote UFV at leastone indicator of an expected future flight characteristic of the UFV.For certain example implementations, at least one machine may transmitto a remote UFV 102R at least one indicator 710 of an expected (e.g.,planned, intended, predicted, predetermined, scheduled, slated,prescribed, known, what will occur if anticipated maneuveringstranspire, or a combination thereof, etc.) future (e.g., occurringlater, upcoming, happening after a transmission or reception includingan indicator of, imminent, impending, to be realized after a currenttime, or a combination thereof, etc.) flight characteristic 742 of a UFV102. By way of example but not limitation, at least one UFV may transmitto the remote UFV at least one indicator of an expected future flightcharacteristic of the UFV (e.g., a local UAV may transmit to a remoteUAV a position at which the local UAV anticipates being located ifplanned maneuvers, if any, are successfully carried out, plus a temporalindex as a delta or an absolute time for when the local UAV anticipatesachieving the position). However, claimed subject matter is not limitedto any particular described embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

FIG. 9C illustrates a flow diagram 900C having example operations 930,932, 934, 936, or 938. For certain example embodiments, an operation 930may be directed at least partially to wherein the transmitting to aremote UFV at least one indicator of the at least one flight attributecorresponding to the UFV based at least partially on the at least oneindication related to imparting the at least one flight attribute (ofoperation 804) includes transmitting to the remote UFV at least oneindicator of at least one flight capability corresponding to the UFV,the at least one flight capability representative of a degree to whichthe UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV. For certainexample implementations, at least one machine may transmit to a remoteUFV 102R at least one indicator 710 of at least one flight capability726 (e.g., an indication of flying capabilities, a specified flightperformance ability, an identification of craft or operator, adescription of flight purpose, an aircraft type, an indication of whatis achievable in contrast with what may be currently occurring, altituderestrictions, a safe acceleration level, weather constraints, payloadlimitations, or a combination thereof, etc.) corresponding to a UFV 102,with at least one flight capability 726 representative of (e.g.,descriptive of, identifying directly or indirectly, indicative of,signifying, designating, expressing, or a combination thereof, etc.) ofa degree (e.g., an extent, a rate, an amount, a length of time, or acombination thereof, etc.) to which UFV 102 is capable of adjusting(e.g., changing, decreasing, increasing, replacing, causing a deviationin, adapting, modifying, altering, deviating from, adding something to,taking something away from, or a combination thereof, etc.) a flightpath 732 (e.g., a heading, a flight trajectory, a position, an altitude,a speed, a direction a velocity, an acceleration, a stability level, adestination, a course through air or space or a time at which the courseis to be traversed, or a combination thereof, etc.) of UFV 102. By wayof example but not limitation, at least one UFV may transmit to theremote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight capabilitycorresponding to the UFV, with the at least one flight capabilityrepresentative of a degree to which the UFV is capable of adjusting aflight path of the UFV (e.g., a local UAV may transmit to a remote UAVat least part of a set of parameters restricting or limiting changes toa flight path, such as a maximum acceleration or a minimum altitude,which parameters may affect a rate or an extent to which a local UAV mayalter its flight path). However, claimed subject matter is not limitedto any particular described embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 932 may be directed atleast partially to wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at leastone indicator of at least one flight capability corresponding to theUFV, the at least one flight capability representative of a degree towhich the UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV, (ofoperation 930) includes transmitting to the remote UFV at least oneindicator of an acceleration identified in a specification correspondingto the UFV. For certain example implementations, at least one machinemay transmit to a remote UFV 102R at least one indicator 710 of anacceleration 744 (e.g., a rate of change in speed, a rate of change indirection, a rate of change in velocity, meters per second per second,one or more values that may be used to calculate an acceleration, or acombination thereof, etc.) identified in a specification (e.g., anowner's manual, marketing material, a manufacturer's spec sheet, or acombination thereof, etc. that is indicated as a maximum acceleration, arecommended prudent acceleration given particular conditions, or acombination thereof, etc.) corresponding to a UFV 102. By way of examplebut not limitation, at least one UFV may transmit to the remote UFV atleast one indicator of an acceleration identified in a specificationcorresponding to the UFV (e.g., a local UAV may transmit an accelerationvalue in m/s/s that is specified in a manufacturer's product descriptionfor the local UFV). However, claimed subject matter is not limited toany particular described embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 934 may be directed atleast partially to wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at leastone indicator of at least one flight capability corresponding to theUFV, the at least one flight capability representative of a degree towhich the UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV, (ofoperation 930) includes transmitting to the remote UFV at least oneindicator of a maximum recommended speed corresponding to the UFV. Forcertain example implementations, at least one machine may transmit to aremote UFV 102R at least one indicator 710 of a maximum recommendedspeed 746 (e.g., a maximum airspeed, a maximum descending speed, atop-end speed according to marketing materials, a recommended speed inan owner's manual, or a combination thereof, etc.) corresponding to aUFV 102. By way of example but not limitation, at least one UFV maytransmit to the remote UFV at least one indicator of a maximumrecommended speed corresponding to the UFV (e.g., a local UAV maytransmit to the remote UAV a model reference number of the local UAVthat is associated with a suggested top speed for the local UAV, whichremote UAV is able to acquire a value for the top speed using at leastthe model reference number and a lookup table). However, claimed subjectmatter is not limited to any particular described embodiments,implementations, examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 936 may be directed atleast partially to wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at leastone indicator of at least one flight capability corresponding to theUFV, the at least one flight capability representative of a degree towhich the UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV, (ofoperation 930) includes transmitting to the remote UFV at least oneindicator of a turning ability corresponding to the UFV. For certainexample implementations, at least one machine may transmit to a remoteUFV 102R at least one indicator 710 of a turning ability 748 (e.g., aturning radius, a banking ability, a radius of turn, a rotational speed,standard rate turn capability, rate one turn (ROT), rate two turn,number of degrees per second, or a combination thereof, etc.)corresponding to a UFV 102. By way of example but not limitation, atleast one UFV may transmit to the remote UFV at least one indicator of aturning ability corresponding to the UFV (e.g., a local UAV may transmitto a remote UAV a radius of turn for the local UAV at a given airspeed,with the given airspeed being transmitted or being a known ordeterminable default airspeed). However, claimed subject matter is notlimited to any particular described embodiments, implementations,examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 938 may be directed atleast partially to wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at leastone indicator of at least one flight capability corresponding to theUFV, the at least one flight capability representative of a degree towhich the UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV, (ofoperation 930) includes transmitting to the remote UFV at least oneindicator of a hovering ability corresponding to the UFV. For certainexample implementations, at least one machine may transmit to a remoteUFV 102R at least one indicator 710 of a hovering ability 750 (e.g., anability or inability to maintain a stable position in the air, anability or inability to produce substantially stationary flight, adegree or extent to which a craft has such an ability, a Boolean value,a coefficient, or a combination thereof, etc.) corresponding to a UFV102. By way of example but not limitation, at least one UFV may transmitto the remote UFV at least one indicator of a hovering abilitycorresponding to the UFV (e.g., a local UAV may transmit to a remote UAVa signal that indicates if the local UAV is capable of hovering in oneplace over a location on the earth or next to a location above theearth, such as a next to a particular floor of a building). However,claimed subject matter is not limited to any particular describedembodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

FIG. 9D illustrates a flow diagram 900D having example operations 942,944, or 946. For certain example embodiments, an operation 942 may bedirected at least partially to wherein the transmitting to the remoteUFV at least one indicator of at least one flight capabilitycorresponding to the UFV, the at least one flight capabilityrepresentative of a degree to which the UFV is capable of adjusting aflight path of the UFV, (of operation 930) includes transmitting to theremote UFV at least one maneuverability indicator corresponding to theUFV. For certain example implementations, at least one machine maytransmit to a remote UFV 102R at least one maneuverability indicator 752(e.g., a label or value representative of how well a UFV can adjust itsflight path; a relative indication; an absolute indication; a score; aclass-like a regulatory certification class for meeting at least onepredetermined maneuverability criterion, such as hovering, acceleration,minimum velocity, stability in particular weather conditions, or acombination thereof, etc., or comportment with a set of construction orfeature regulations for a craft type, a label equating to a set ofminimal standards to achieve the label, or some combination thereof,etc.—; a rating—like an industry certification rating for meeting atleast one predetermined maneuverability criterion, such as hovering,acceleration, minimum velocity, stability in particular weatherconditions, or a combination thereof, etc., or comportment with a set offlight capabilities, a grade representing a maneuvering score achievedby a make or model of a vehicle, a title equating to a set of minimalstandards, such as a minimum negative acceleration, to achieve thetitle, or some combination thereof, etc.—; a level; an indication of adegree to which a vehicle is agile; a craft category, such as fixedwing, rotary wing, LTA, ornithopter, or a combination thereof, etc.;some combination thereof; or so forth) corresponding to a UFV 102. Byway of example but not limitation, at least one UFV may transmit to theremote UFV at least one maneuverability indicator corresponding to theUFV (e.g., a local UAV may transmit to a remote UAV an industry-definedUAV class type having an associated set of performance criteria that asample/test model comparable to the local UAV is certified to have met).However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particulardescribed embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 944 may be directed atleast partially to wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at leastone indicator of at least one flight capability corresponding to theUFV, the at least one flight capability representative of a degree towhich the UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV, (ofoperation 930) includes transmitting to the remote UFV at least oneindicator of a remaining available airtime corresponding to the UFV. Forcertain example implementations, at least one machine may transmit to aremote UFV 102R at least one indicator 710 of a remaining availableairtime 754 (e.g., a time, a fuel level, a rate of fuel usage, anaverage rate of fuel usage, values usable to determine a time untilflying operations are to cease due to insufficiency of fuel, an amountof jet fuel onboard, an amount of charge left in at least one battery, arate of charge depletion, a total amount of time flight time remaining,a total amount of time remaining minus time to land safely, a time untila vehicle will be compelled to leave a theater of operations due toinsufficiency of fuel, a time until a vehicle will be compelled to ceaseflight due to insufficiency of fuel, or a combination thereof, etc.)corresponding to a UFV 102. By way of example but not limitation, atleast one UFV may transmit to the remote UFV at least one indicator of aremaining available airtime corresponding to the UFV (e.g., a local UAVmay transmit to a remote UAV a predicted or estimated number of minutesleft that the local UAV is able to stay in the air before fuel becomessufficiently low that landing becomes imminent). However, claimedsubject matter is not limited to any particular described embodiments,implementations, examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 946 may be directed atleast partially to wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at leastone indicator of at least one flight capability corresponding to theUFV, the at least one flight capability representative of a degree towhich the UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV, (ofoperation 930) includes transmitting to the remote UFV at least oneindicator for a flight bubble corresponding to the UFV. For certainexample implementations, at least one machine may transmit to a remoteUFV 102R at least one indicator 710 (e.g., a label representing astandardized classification of flight bubbles, a number representing aminimum distance around a UFV, a shape of a flight bubble, a descriptionof a spatial zone, or a combination thereof, etc.) for a flight bubble756 (e.g., at least one buffer zone, a shape defined by one or moredistances extending from a UFV in one or more different directions, amargin of safety around, an extended area that is to be kept free ofobjects to facilitate safe flight by a UFV, or a combination thereof,etc.), as shown with an example shape at flight bubble 756*,corresponding to a UFV 102. By way of example but not limitation, atleast one UFV may transmit to the remote UFV at least one indicator fora flight bubble corresponding to the UFV (e.g., a local UAV may transmitto a remote UAV at least one measurement representative of at least onedimension, such as a vertical or a longitudinal dimension, of a bufferzone around itself that the local UAV intends to maintain clear of otherobjects). However, claimed subject matter is not limited to anyparticular described embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

FIG. 10A depicts example additions or alternatives for a flow diagram ofFIG. 8A in accordance with certain example embodiments. As illustrated,a flow diagram of FIG. 10A may include any of the illustrated ordescribed operations. Although operations are shown or described in aparticular order or with a particular relationship to one or more otheroperations, it should be understood that methods may be performed inalternative manners without departing from claimed subject matter,including, but not limited to, with a different order or number ofoperations or with a different relationship between or among operations(e.g., operations that are illustrated as nested blocks are notnecessarily subsidiary operations and may instead be performedindependently). Also, at least some operation(s) of a flow diagram ofFIG. 10A may be performed so as to be fully or partially overlappingwith other operation(s). For certain example embodiments, one or moreoperations of flow diagrams 1000A (of FIG. 10A) may be performed by atleast one machine (e.g., a UFV 102 or at least a portion thereof).

FIG. 10A illustrates a flow diagram 1000A having an example operation806. For certain example embodiments, an operation 806 may be directedat least partially to wherein a method further includes implementing oneor more additional operations. For certain example implementations, atleast one machine may implement one or more operations in addition toobtaining (of operation 802, which is not explicitly shown in FIG. 10A)or transmitting (of operation 804). Example additional operations mayinclude, by way of example but not limitation, 1010, 1012, 1014, or 1016(of FIG. 10A).

FIG. 10A illustrates a flow diagram 1000A having example operations1010, 1012, 1014, or 1016. For certain example embodiments, an operation1010 may be directed at least partially to wherein a method of obtaining(of operation 802, which is not explicitly shown in FIG. 10A) ortransmitting (of operation 804) further includes (at additionaloperation 806) adjusting a flight path corresponding to the UFV based atleast partially on at least one flight attribute indicator received fromand corresponding to the remote UFV. For certain exampleimplementations, at least one machine may adjust (e.g., change,decrease, increase, replace, cause a deviation in, adapt, modify, alter,deviate from, add something to, take something away from, or acombination thereof, etc., such as at least part of an adjustment 758for) a flight path 732 (e.g., a heading, a flight trajectory, aposition, an altitude, a speed, a direction a velocity, an acceleration,a stability level, a destination, a course through air or space or atime at which the course is to be traversed, or a combination thereof,etc.) corresponding to a UFV 102 based at least partially on at leastone flight attribute indicator 710*(e.g., a description, a designation,an expression, a representation, an indirect identification, a directidentification, a reference, a code providing a linkage to, a signal, avalue, or a combination thereof, etc.) received from and correspondingto a remote UFV 102R. By way of example but not limitation, at least oneUFV may adjust a flight path corresponding to the UFV based at leastpartially on at least one flight attribute indicator received from andcorresponding to the remote UFV (e.g., a local UAV may accelerate byincreasing an airspeed or changing a direction of travel based on aflight attribute received from a remote UAV that indicates that theremote UAV is a lighter-than-air (LTA) vehicle with limitedmaneuverability). However, claimed subject matter is not limited to anyparticular described embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 1012 may be directed atleast partially to wherein a method of obtaining (of operation 802,which is not explicitly shown in FIG. 10A) or transmitting (of operation804) further includes (at additional operation 806) negotiating with theremote UFV at least one flight path adjustment. For certain exampleimplementations, at least one machine may negotiate (e.g., conduct,engage in, or participate in an offer and an acceptance (such as anacknowledgment), an offer to adjust a flight path and a rejection, anoffer and a counter-offer, a suggestion for an alteration to a plannedcourse, an exchange of signals, a request to adjust a flight path, arejection of a request, an acceptance of a request, a swapping of offersor intentions or requests, or a combination thereof, etc., via at leastone negotiation 760) with a remote UFV 102R at least one flight pathadjustment 758 (e.g., a change, decrease, increase, replace, cause adeviation in, adapt, modify, alter, deviate from, add something to, takesomething away from, or a combination thereof, etc. to a flight path 732(e.g., a heading, a flight trajectory, a position, an altitude, a speed,a direction a velocity, an acceleration, a stability level, adestination, a course through air or space or a time at which the courseis to be traversed, or a combination thereof, etc.)). By way of examplebut not limitation, at least one UFV may negotiate with the remote UFVat least one flight path adjustment (e.g., a local UAV may send a flightadjustment offer or request to a remote UAV or receive a flightadjustment offer or request from the remote UAV in an effort to reach anagreement on at least one adjustment to a flight path of the local UAVor a flight path of the remote UAV). However, claimed subject matter isnot limited to any particular described embodiments, implementations,examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 1014 may be directed atleast partially to wherein the negotiating with the remote UFV at leastone flight path adjustment (of operation 1012) includes transmitting tothe remote UFV an offer to make at least one adjustment to a flight pathcorresponding to the UFV. For certain example implementations, at leastone machine may transmit to a remote UFV 102R an offer 762 (e.g., adescription of potential change(s) to a flight path in terms of deltasto a current flight path, a description of potential change(s) to aflight path in terms of a new flight path, one or more indications ofchanges to current or future flight characteristics, a suggestion ofchanges that may be made, notice of changes that are to be made, or acombination thereof, etc.) to make at least one adjustment to a flightpath 732 (e.g., a heading, a flight trajectory, a position, an altitude,a speed, a direction a velocity, an acceleration, a stability level, adestination, a course through air or space or a time at which the courseis to be traversed, or a combination thereof, etc.) corresponding to aUFV 102. By way of example but not limitation, at least one UFV maytransmit to the remote UFV an offer to make at least one adjustment to aflight path corresponding to the UFV (e.g., a local UAV may send to aremote UAV a communication that suggests that the local UAV may change aflight path of the local UAV by increasing a rate of descent if theremote UAV authorizes, agrees to, acknowledges, or merely fails toaffirmatively reject the offer). However, claimed subject matter is notlimited to any particular described embodiments, implementations,examples, etc.

For certain example embodiments, an operation 1016 may be directed atleast partially to wherein the negotiating with the remote UFV at leastone flight path adjustment (of operation 1012) includes receiving fromthe remote UFV a request to make at least one adjustment to a flightpath corresponding to the UFV, with the request associated with areference to but differing from an offer to make a flight pathadjustment that was a previously-transmitted from the UFV to the remoteUFV. For certain example implementations, at least one machine mayreceive (e.g., accept, decode, demodulate, down-convert, detect, obtainfrom or via a communication, route from an antenna, or a combinationthereof, etc.) from a remote UFV 102R a request 764 (e.g., a descriptionof potential change(s) to a flight path in terms of deltas to a currentflight path, a description of potential change(s) to a flight path interms of a new flight path, one or more indications of changes to flightcharacteristics, a suggestion of changes that may be made, or acombination thereof, etc.) to make at least one adjustment to a flightpath 732 corresponding to a UFV 102, with request 764 associated with areference to (e.g., an identification of, a transaction number, anegotiation code, inclusion as part of an ongoing exchange regarding, ora combination thereof, etc.) but differing from (e.g., being directed toone or more different flight characteristics, suggesting differentchanges to a same one or more flight characteristics, suggesting nochanges instead of changes, or a combination thereof, etc.) an offer 762(e.g., a suggestion, an expression of a willingness, a description ofpossible or permitted changes, or a combination thereof, etc.) to make aflight path adjustment (e.g., a change, decrease, increase, replace,cause a deviation in, adapt, modify, alter, deviate from, add somethingto, take something away from, or a combination thereof, etc. to a flightpath 732 (e.g., a heading, a flight trajectory, a position, an altitude,a speed, a direction, a set of flight characteristics, a velocity, anacceleration, a stability level, a destination, a course through air orspace or a time at which the course is to be traversed, or a combinationthereof, etc.)) that was a previously-transmitted from UFV 102 to remoteUFV 102R. By way of example but not limitation, at least one UFV mayreceive from the remote UFV a request to make at least one adjustment toa flight path corresponding to the UFV, with the request associated witha reference to but differing from an offer to make a flight pathadjustment that was a previously-transmitted from the UFV to the remoteUFV (e.g., a local UAV may receive from a remote UAV a communicationasking the local UAV to veer right by 20 degrees and decelerate to altera flight path in lieu of increasing a rate of decent, whichcommunication may include an identifier of an earlier communication ormay be part of an ongoing exchange, which earlier communication was sentfrom the local UAV to the remote UAV and suggested that the local UAVcould descend more quickly to avoid an airspace conflict between the twoUAVs). However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particulardescribed embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the foregoing specificexemplary processes and/or machines and/or technologies arerepresentative of more general processes and/or machines and/ortechnologies taught elsewhere herein, such as in the claims filedherewith and/or elsewhere in the present application.

Those having skill in the art will recognize that the state of the arthas progressed to the point where there is little distinction leftbetween hardware, software, and/or firmware implementations of aspectsof systems; the use of hardware, software, and/or firmware is generally(but not always, in that in certain contexts the choice between hardwareand software can become significant) a design choice representing costvs. efficiency tradeoffs. Those having skill in the art will appreciatethat there are various vehicles by which processes and/or systems and/orother technologies described herein can be effected (e.g., hardware,software, and/or firmware), and that the preferred vehicle will varywith the context in which the processes and/or systems and/or othertechnologies are deployed. For example, if an implementer determinesthat speed and accuracy are paramount, the implementer may opt for amainly hardware and/or firmware vehicle; alternatively, if flexibilityis paramount, the implementer may opt for a mainly softwareimplementation; or, yet again alternatively, the implementer may opt forsome combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware. Hence, thereare several possible vehicles by which the processes and/or devicesand/or other technologies described herein may be effected, none ofwhich is inherently superior to the other in that any vehicle to beutilized is a choice dependent upon the context in which the vehiclewill be deployed and the specific concerns (e.g., speed, flexibility, orpredictability) of the implementer, any of which may vary. Those skilledin the art will recognize that optical aspects of implementations willtypically employ optically-oriented hardware, software, and or firmware.

In some implementations described herein, logic and similarimplementations may include software or other control structures.Electronic circuitry, for example, may have one or more paths ofelectrical current constructed and arranged to implement variousfunctions as described herein. In some implementations, one or moremedia may be configured to bear a device-detectable implementation whensuch media hold or transmit device detectable instructions operable toperform as described herein. In some variants, for example,implementations may include an update or modification of existingsoftware or firmware, or of gate arrays or programmable hardware, suchas by performing a reception of or a transmission of one or moreinstructions in relation to one or more operations described herein.Alternatively or additionally, in some variants, an implementation mayinclude special-purpose hardware, software, firmware components, and/orgeneral-purpose components executing or otherwise invokingspecial-purpose components. Specifications or other implementations maybe transmitted by one or more instances of tangible transmission mediaas described herein, optionally by packet transmission or otherwise bypassing through distributed media at various times.

Alternatively or additionally, implementations may include executing aspecial-purpose instruction sequence or invoking circuitry for enabling,triggering, coordinating, requesting, or otherwise causing one or moreoccurrences of virtually any functional operations described herein. Insome variants, operational or other logical descriptions herein may beexpressed as source code and compiled or otherwise invoked as anexecutable instruction sequence. In some contexts, for example,implementations may be provided, in whole or in part, by source code,such as C++, or other code sequences. In other implementations, sourceor other code implementation, using commercially available and/ortechniques in the art, may be compiled//implemented/translated/convertedinto a high-level descriptor language (e.g., initially implementingdescribed technologies in C or C++ programming language and thereafterconverting the programming language implementation into alogic-synthesizable language implementation, a hardware descriptionlanguage implementation, a hardware design simulation implementation,and/or other such similar mode(s) of expression). For example, some orall of a logical expression (e.g., computer programming languageimplementation) may be manifested as a Verilog-type hardware description(e.g., via Hardware Description Language (HDL) and/or Very High SpeedIntegrated Circuit Hardware Descriptor Language (VHDL)) or othercircuitry model which may then be used to create a physicalimplementation having hardware (e.g., an Application Specific IntegratedCircuit). Those skilled in the art will recognize how to obtain,configure, and optimize suitable transmission or computational elements,material supplies, actuators, or other structures in light of theseteachings.

The foregoing detailed description has set forth various embodiments ofthe devices and/or processes via the use of block diagrams, flowcharts,and/or examples. Insofar as such block diagrams, flowcharts, and/orexamples contain one or more functions and/or operations, it will beunderstood by those within the art that each function and/or operationwithin such block diagrams, flowcharts, or examples can be implemented,individually and/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software,firmware, or virtually any combination thereof. In one embodiment,several portions of the subject matter described herein may beimplemented via Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), FieldProgrammable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), orother integrated formats. However, those skilled in the art willrecognize that some aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein, inwhole or in part, can be equivalently implemented in integratedcircuits, as one or more computer programs running on one or morecomputers (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more computersystems), as one or more programs running on one or more processors(e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more microprocessors),as firmware, or as virtually any combination thereof, and that designingthe circuitry and/or writing the code for the software and or firmwarewould be well within the skill of one of skill in the art in light ofthis disclosure. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciatethat the mechanisms of the subject matter described herein are capableof being distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, andthat an illustrative embodiment of the subject matter described hereinapplies regardless of the particular type of signal bearing medium usedto actually carry out the distribution. Examples of a signal bearingmedium include, but are not limited to, the following: a recordable typemedium such as a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a Compact Disc (CD), aDigital Video Disk (DVD), a digital tape, a computer memory, etc.; and atransmission type medium such as a digital and/or an analogcommunication medium (e.g., a fiber optic cable, a waveguide, a wiredcommunications link, a wireless communication link (e.g., transmitter,receiver, transmission logic, reception logic, etc.), etc.).

In a general sense, those skilled in the art will recognize that thevarious aspects described herein which can be implemented, individuallyand/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware,and/or any combination thereof can be viewed as being composed ofvarious types of “electrical circuitry.” Consequently, as used herein“electrical circuitry” includes, but is not limited to, electricalcircuitry having at least one discrete electrical circuit, electricalcircuitry having at least one integrated circuit, electrical circuitryhaving at least one application specific integrated circuit, electricalcircuitry forming a general purpose computing device configured by acomputer program (e.g., a general purpose computer configured by acomputer program which at least partially carries out processes and/ordevices described herein, or a microprocessor configured by a computerprogram which at least partially carries out processes and/or devicesdescribed herein), electrical circuitry forming a memory device (e.g.,forms of memory (e.g., random access, flash, read only, etc.)), and/orelectrical circuitry forming a communications device (e.g., a modem,communications switch, optical-electrical equipment, etc.). Those havingskill in the art will recognize that the subject matter described hereinmay be implemented in an analog or digital fashion or some combinationthereof.

Modules, logic, circuitry, hardware and software combinations, firmware,or so forth may be realized or implemented as one or moregeneral-purpose processors, one or more processing cores, one or morespecial-purpose processors, one or more microprocessors, at least oneApplication-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), at least one FieldProgrammable Gate Array (FPGA), at least one digital signal processor(DSP), some combination thereof, or so forth that is executing or isconfigured to execute instructions, a special-purpose program, anapplication, software, code, some combination thereof, or so forth as atleast one special-purpose computing apparatus or specific computingcomponent. One or more modules, logic, or circuitry, etc. may, by way ofexample but not limitation, be implemented using one processor ormultiple processors that are configured to execute instructions (e.g.,sequentially, in parallel, at least partially overlapping in atime-multiplexed fashion, at least partially overlapping across multiplecores, or a combination thereof, etc.) to perform a method or realize aparticular computing machine. For example, a first module may beembodied by a given processor executing a first set of instructions ator during a first time, and a second module may be embodied by the samegiven processor executing a second set of instructions at or during asecond time. Moreover, the first and second times may be at leastpartially interleaved or overlapping, such as in a multi-threading,pipelined, or predictive processing environment. As an alternativeexample, a first module may be embodied by a first processor executing afirst set of instructions, and a second module may be embodied by asecond processor executing a second set of instructions. As anotheralternative example, a particular module may be embodied partially by afirst processor executing at least a portion of a particular set ofinstructions and embodied partially by a second processor executing atleast a portion of the particular set of instructions. Othercombinations of instructions, a program, an application, software, orcode, etc. in conjunction with at least one processor or other executionmachinery may be utilized to realize one or more modules, logic, orcircuitry, etc. to implement any of the processing algorithms describedherein.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that at least a portion of thedevices and/or processes described herein can be integrated into a dataprocessing system. Those having skill in the art will recognize that adata processing system generally includes one or more of a system unithousing, a video display device, memory such as volatile or non-volatilememory, processors such as microprocessors or digital signal processors,computational entities such as operating systems, drivers, graphicaluser interfaces, and applications programs, one or more interactiondevices (e.g., a touch pad, a touch screen, an antenna, etc.), and/orcontrol systems including feedback loops and control motors (e.g.,feedback for sensing position and/or velocity; control motors for movingand/or adjusting components and/or quantities). A data processing systemmay be implemented utilizing suitable commercially available components,such as those typically found in data computing/communication and/ornetwork computing/communication systems.

For the purposes of this application, “cloud” computing may beunderstood as described in the cloud computing literature. For example,cloud computing may be methods and/or systems for the delivery ofcomputational capacity and/or storage capacity as a service. The “cloud”may refer to one or more hardware and/or software components thatdeliver or assist in the delivery of computational and/or storagecapacity, including, but not limited to, one or more of a client, anapplication, a platform, an infrastructure, and/or a server The cloudmay refer to any of the hardware and/or software associated with aclient, an application, a platform, an infrastructure, and/or a server.For example, cloud and cloud computing may refer to one or more of acomputer, a processor, a storage medium, a router, a switch, a modem, avirtual machine (e.g., a virtual server), a data center, an operatingsystem, a middleware, a firmware, a hardware back-end, a softwareback-end, and/or a software application. A cloud may refer to a privatecloud, a public cloud, a hybrid cloud, and/or a community cloud. A cloudmay be a shared pool of configurable computing resources, which may bepublic, private, semi-private, distributable, scaleable, flexible,temporary, virtual, and/or physical. A cloud or cloud service may bedelivered over one or more types of network, e.g., a mobilecommunication network, and the Internet.

As used in this application, a cloud or a cloud service may include oneor more of infrastructure-as-a-service (“IaaS”), platform-as-a-service(“PaaS”), software-as-a-service (“SaaS”), and/or desktop-as-a-service(“DaaS”). As a non-exclusive example, IaaS may include, e.g., one ormore virtual server instantiations that may start, stop, access, and/orconfigure virtual servers and/or storage centers (e.g., providing one ormore processors, storage space, and/or network resources on-demand,e.g., EMC and Rackspace). PaaS may include, e.g., one or more softwareand/or development tools hosted on an infrastructure (e.g., a computingplatform and/or a solution stack from which the client can createsoftware interfaces and applications, e.g., Microsoft Azure). SaaS mayinclude, e.g., software hosted by a service provider and accessible overa network (e.g., the software for the application and/or the dataassociated with that software application may be kept on the network,e.g., Google Apps, SalesForce). DaaS may include, e.g., providingdesktop, applications, data, and/or services for the user over a network(e.g., providing a multi-application framework, the applications in theframework, the data associated with the applications, and/or servicesrelated to the applications and/or the data over the network, e.g.,Citrix). The foregoing is intended to be exemplary of the types ofsystems and/or methods referred to in this application as “cloud” or“cloud computing” and should not be considered complete or exhaustive.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that it is common within the artto implement devices and/or processes and/or systems, and thereafter useengineering and/or other practices to integrate such implemented devicesand/or processes and/or systems into more comprehensive devices and/orprocesses and/or systems. That is, at least a portion of the devicesand/or processes and/or systems described herein can be integrated intoother devices and/or processes and/or systems via a reasonable amount ofexperimentation. Those having skill in the art will recognize thatexamples of such other devices and/or processes and/or systems mightinclude—as appropriate to context and application—all or part of devicesand/or processes and/or systems of (a) an air conveyance (e.g., anairplane, rocket, helicopter, etc.), (b) a ground conveyance (e.g., acar, truck, locomotive, tank, armored personnel carrier, etc.), (c) abuilding (e.g., a home, warehouse, office, etc.), (d) an appliance(e.g., a refrigerator, a washing machine, a dryer, etc.), (e) acommunications system (e.g., a networked system, a telephone system, aVoice over IP system, etc.), (f) a business entity (e.g., an InternetService Provider (ISP) entity such as Comcast Cable, Qwest, SouthwesternBell, etc.), or (g) a wired/wireless services entity (e.g., Sprint,Cingular, Nextel, etc.), etc.

In certain cases, use of a system or method may occur in a territoryeven if components are located outside the territory. For example, in adistributed computing context, use of a distributed computing system mayoccur in a territory even though parts of the system may be locatedoutside of the territory (e.g., relay, server, processor, signal-bearingmedium, transmitting computer, receiving computer, etc. located outsidethe territory). A sale of a system or method may likewise occur in aterritory even if components of the system or method are located and/orused outside the territory. Further, implementation of at least part ofa system for performing a method in one territory does not preclude useof the system in another territory.

One skilled in the art will recognize that the herein describedcomponents (e.g., operations), devices, objects, and the discussionaccompanying them are used as examples for the sake of conceptualclarity and that various configuration modifications are contemplated.Consequently, as used herein, the specific exemplars set forth and theaccompanying discussion are intended to be representative of their moregeneral classes. In general, use of any specific exemplar is intended tobe representative of its class, and the non-inclusion of specificcomponents (e.g., operations), devices, and objects should not be takenlimiting.

With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singularterms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from theplural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as isappropriate to the context and/or application. The varioussingular/plural permutations are not expressly set forth herein for sakeof clarity.

The herein described subject matter sometimes illustrates differentcomponents contained within, or connected with, different othercomponents. It is to be understood that such depicted architectures aremerely exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures may beimplemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense,any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality iseffectively “associated” such that the desired functionality isachieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve aparticular functionality can be seen as “associated with” each othersuch that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective ofarchitectures or intermedial components. Likewise, any two components soassociated can also be viewed as being “operably connected”, or“operably coupled,” to each other to achieve the desired functionality,and any two components capable of being so associated can also be viewedas being “operably couplable,” to each other to achieve the desiredfunctionality. Specific examples of operably couplable include but arenot limited to physically mateable and/or physically interactingcomponents, and/or wirelessly interactable, and/or wirelesslyinteracting components, and/or logically interacting, and/or logicallyinteractable components.

In some instances, one or more components may be referred to herein as“configured to,” “configured by,” “configurable to,” “operable/operativeto,” “adapted/adaptable,” “able to,” “conformable/conformed to,” etc.Those skilled in the art will recognize that such terms (e.g.“configured to”) can generally encompass active-state components and/orinactive-state components and/or standby-state components, unlesscontext requires otherwise.

This application may make reference to one or more trademarks, e.g., aword, letter, symbol, or device adopted by one manufacturer or merchantand used to identify and distinguish his or her product from those ofothers. Trademark names used herein are set forth in such language thatmakes clear their identity, that distinguishes them from commondescriptive nouns, that have fixed and definite meanings, and, in manyif not all cases, are accompanied by other specific identification usingterms not covered by trademark. In addition, trademark names used hereinhave meanings that are well-known and defined in the literature, and donot refer to products or compounds protected by trade secrets in orderto divine their meaning. All trademarks referenced in this applicationare the property of their respective owners, and the appearance of oneor more trademarks in this application does not diminish or otherwiseadversely affect the validity of the one or more trademarks. Alltrademarks, registered or unregistered, that appear in this applicationare assumed to include a proper trademark symbol, e.g., the circle R or[trade], even when such trademark symbol does not explicitly appear nextto the trademark. To the extent a trademark is used in a descriptivemanner to refer to a product or process, that trademark should beinterpreted to represent the corresponding product or process as of thedate of the filing of this patent application.

While particular aspects of the present subject matter described hereinhave been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled inthe art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modificationsmay be made without departing from the subject matter described hereinand its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are toencompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as arewithin the true spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein.It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, termsused herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of theappended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term“including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” theterm “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term“includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,”etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if aspecific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such anintent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence ofsuch recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid tounderstanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of theintroductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claimrecitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed toimply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinitearticles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing suchintroduced claim recitation to claims containing only one suchrecitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases“one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or“an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “atleast one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use ofdefinite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, evenif a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitlyrecited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitationshould typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number(e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without othermodifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or morerecitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a conventionanalogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in generalsuch a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the artwould understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one ofA, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have Aalone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and Ctogether, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances where aconvention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, ingeneral such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill inthe art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at leastone of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that haveA alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and Ctogether, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be furtherunderstood by those within the art that typically a disjunctive wordand/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in thedescription, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplatethe possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, orboth terms unless context dictates otherwise. For example, the phrase “Aor B” will be typically understood to include the possibilities of “A”or “B” or “A and B.”

With respect to the appended claims, those skilled in the art willappreciate that recited operations therein may generally be performed inany order. Also, although various operational flows are presented in asequence(s), it should be understood that the various operations may beperformed in other orders than those which are illustrated, or may beperformed concurrently. Examples of such alternate orderings may includeoverlapping, interleaved, interrupted, reordered, incremental,preparatory, supplemental, simultaneous, reverse, or other variantorderings, unless context dictates otherwise. Furthermore, terms like“responsive to,” “related to,” or other past-tense adjectives aregenerally not intended to exclude such variants, unless context dictatesotherwise.

While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, otheraspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes ofillustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scopeand spirit being indicated by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for hazard handling for an unoccupiedflying vehicle (UFV), the method being at least partially implemented byat least one machine, the method comprising: obtaining at least oneindication related to imparting at least one flight attributecorresponding to a UFV; and transmitting to a remote UFV at least oneindicator of the at least one flight attribute corresponding to the UFVbased at least partially on the at least one indication related toimparting the at least one flight attribute.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the obtaining at least one indication related to imparting atleast one flight attribute corresponding to a UFV comprises: receivingfrom the remote UFV at least one flight attribute inquiry.
 3. The methodof claim 1, wherein the obtaining at least one indication related toimparting at least one flight attribute corresponding to a UFVcomprises: receiving from the remote UFV at least one negotiationrequest for a flight path adjustment.
 4. The method of claim 1, whereinthe obtaining at least one indication related to imparting at least oneflight attribute corresponding to a UFV comprises: retrieving from atleast one memory at least a portion of at least one flight attributeupdate procedure that includes at least one plan for imparting one ormore flight characteristics.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein theobtaining at least one indication related to imparting at least oneflight attribute corresponding to a UFV comprises: retrieving from atleast one memory at least a portion of at least one flight attributeannouncement procedure that includes at least one plan for imparting oneor more flight capabilities.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein thetransmitting to a remote UFV at least one indicator of the at least oneflight attribute corresponding to the UFV based at least partially onthe at least one indication related to imparting the at least one flightattribute comprises: transmitting to the remote UFV the at least oneindicator of the at least one flight attribute corresponding to the UFVvia at least one wireless signal.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein thetransmitting to the remote UFV the at least one indicator of the atleast one flight attribute corresponding to the UFV via at least onewireless signal comprises: transmitting to the remote UFV the at leastone indicator of the at least one flight attribute corresponding to theUFV via at least one radio frequency (RF) wireless signal using at leastone directional beam.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmittingto a remote UFV at least one indicator of the at least one flightattribute corresponding to the UFV based at least partially on the atleast one indication related to imparting the at least one flightattribute comprises: transmitting to the remote UFV at least oneindicator of at least one flight characteristic of the UFV, the at leastone flight characteristic representative of at least one flightattribute that is changeable by the UFV to adjust a flight path of theUFV.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitting to the remoteUFV at least one indicator of at least one flight characteristic of theUFV, the at least one flight characteristic representative of at leastone flight attribute that is changeable by the UFV to adjust a flightpath of the UFV, comprises: transmitting to the remote UFV at least oneindicator of a position of the UFV.
 10. The method of claim 8, whereinthe transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at leastone flight characteristic of the UFV, the at least one flightcharacteristic representative of at least one flight attribute that ischangeable by the UFV to adjust a flight path of the UFV, comprises:transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at least one ofa speed or a direction of the UFV.
 11. The method of claim 8, whereinthe transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at leastone flight characteristic of the UFV, the at least one flightcharacteristic representative of at least one flight attribute that ischangeable by the UFV to adjust a flight path of the UFV, comprises:transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of an accelerationof the UFV.
 12. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitting to theremote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight characteristicof the UFV, the at least one flight characteristic representative of atleast one flight attribute that is changeable by the UFV to adjust aflight path of the UFV, comprises: transmitting to the remote UFV atleast one indicator of an altitude of the UFV.
 13. The method of claim8, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator ofat least one flight characteristic of the UFV, the at least one flightcharacteristic representative of at least one flight attribute that ischangeable by the UFV to adjust a flight path of the UFV, comprises:transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of an expectedfuture flight characteristic of the UFV.
 14. The method of claim 1,wherein the transmitting to a remote UFV at least one indicator of theat least one flight attribute corresponding to the UFV based at leastpartially on the at least one indication related to imparting the atleast one flight attribute comprises: transmitting to the remote UFV atleast one indicator of at least one flight capability corresponding tothe UFV, the at least one flight capability representative of a degreeto which the UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV. 15.The method of claim 14, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV atleast one indicator of at least one flight capability corresponding tothe UFV, the at least one flight capability representative of a degreeto which the UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV,comprises: transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of anacceleration identified in a specification corresponding to the UFV. 16.The method of claim 14, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV atleast one indicator of at least one flight capability corresponding tothe UFV, the at least one flight capability representative of a degreeto which the UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV,comprises: transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of amaximum recommended speed corresponding to the UFV.
 17. The method ofclaim 14, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at least oneindicator of at least one flight capability corresponding to the UFV,the at least one flight capability representative of a degree to whichthe UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV, comprises:transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of a turningability corresponding to the UFV.
 18. The method of claim 14, whereinthe transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of at leastone flight capability corresponding to the UFV, the at least one flightcapability representative of a degree to which the UFV is capable ofadjusting a flight path of the UFV, comprises: transmitting to theremote UFV at least one indicator of a hovering ability corresponding tothe UFV.
 19. The method of claim 14, wherein the transmitting to theremote UFV at least one indicator of at least one flight capabilitycorresponding to the UFV, the at least one flight capabilityrepresentative of a degree to which the UFV is capable of adjusting aflight path of the UFV, comprises: transmitting to the remote UFV atleast one maneuverability indicator corresponding to the UFV.
 20. Themethod of claim 14, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at leastone indicator of at least one flight capability corresponding to theUFV, the at least one flight capability representative of a degree towhich the UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV,comprises: transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator of aremaining available airtime corresponding to the UFV.
 21. The method ofclaim 14, wherein the transmitting to the remote UFV at least oneindicator of at least one flight capability corresponding to the UFV,the at least one flight capability representative of a degree to whichthe UFV is capable of adjusting a flight path of the UFV, comprises:transmitting to the remote UFV at least one indicator for a flightbubble corresponding to the UFV.
 22. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: adjusting a flight path corresponding to the UFV based atleast partially on at least one flight attribute indicator received fromand corresponding to the remote UFV.
 23. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: negotiating with the remote UFV at least one flight pathadjustment.
 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the negotiating with theremote UFV at least one flight path adjustment comprises: transmittingto the remote UFV an offer to make at least one adjustment to a flightpath corresponding to the UFV.
 25. The method of claim 23, wherein thenegotiating with the remote UFV at least one flight path adjustmentcomprises: receiving from the remote UFV a request to make at least oneadjustment to a flight path corresponding to the UFV, with the requestassociated with a reference to but differing from an offer to make aflight path adjustment that was a previously-transmitted from the UFV tothe remote UFV.
 26. An unoccupied flying vehicle (UFV) for hazardhandling, the UFV comprising: circuitry for obtaining at least oneindication related to imparting at least one flight attributecorresponding to a UFV; and circuitry for transmitting to a remote UFVat least one indicator of the at least one flight attributecorresponding to the UFV based at least partially on the at least oneindication related to imparting the at least one flight attribute.27.-50. (canceled)
 51. A system for hazard handling for an unoccupiedflying vehicle (UFV), the system comprising: means for obtaining atleast one indication related to imparting at least one flight attributecorresponding to a UFV; and means for transmitting to a remote UFV atleast one indicator of the at least one flight attribute correspondingto the UFV based at least partially on the at least one indicationrelated to imparting the at least one flight attribute. 52.-75.(canceled)